and home to over 65,000 students
and several centres of academic excellence
residents of working age are employed
At the heart of every successful business are great people. Those that are determined, talented and ambitious; something Hampshire’s workforce has in abundance.
The county has a workforce of over 850,000, more than two out of five people of working age have a degree or equivalent level qualification.
Our ambition is to better match skills supply and demand and drive forward productivity for a prosperous and resilient economy. We will work with local and subregional stakeholders, businesses, Higher Education (HE), Further Education (FE) and other training providers. We want to improve the skills of both the existing workforce and the future labour market ensuring a better matching of skills to business needs in order to sustain economic growth. This includes raising the aspirations and ambitions of young people, supporting employers to develop their workforce, and ensuring we have a good understanding of our current and future labour market needs. We want to reduce skills gaps, ensure employers can access the right training support and ultimately contribute to higher levels of productivity across Hampshire.
We want to increase the supply of high-value skills within the local labour market, ensuring learners and employers have access to world class training environments fit for the future. The County Council is currently managing the largest school place expansion programme in its history, building sufficient, high-quality places of learning for children across statutory education. This programme is partly through contributions from developers. Since 2019, the County council has also been seeking contributions towards the expansion and remodelling of our post 16 education and skills estate where needed, our aim being to ensure we have world class facilities for current and future learners aligned to the development of new housing and community infrastructure.
Skills Bootcamps are part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, helping everyone gain skills for life. Hampshire County Council has secured £1.8 million from the Department of Education to support learners through Skills Bootcamps in partnership with Surrey County Council.
Skills Bootcamps empower individuals and employers to develop valuable, sector-specific skills. Based on local employer demand, the Skills Bootcamps on offer provide a direct path to employment upon completion, with a guaranteed job interview at the end of each course for unemployed individuals. All courses are flexible and include a minimum of 60 hours of learning across a maximum 16-week period, providing learners with several positive outcomes no matter their circumstances.
For more information please visit www.hants.gov.uk/skills-bootcamps or email skills.bootcamps@hants.gov.uk
As part of Hampshire County Council’s Climate Change Strategy Hampshire-Climate-Change-strategy-2020-2025.pdf (hants.gov.uk) we are working with the Retrofit Academy to enable, support and deliver a reduction in residential related carbon emissions.
The Retrofit Academy provides a collaborative approach to the supply of skills and training opportunities supporting employers, training provision and potential employees.
The Retrofit Academy are working with local colleges and training providers to deliver new regulated Retrofit qualifications (Level 2-5) and supporting the scale-up of installer (trade) courses covering building fabric and renewable energy. By taking this approach, we are ensuring a co-ordinated response to current and future skills demand for retrofit in social housing and the able-to-pay market across Hampshire and IOW.
We have also put in place a Retrofit Hub Steering Group, bringing together representatives from local authorities, DWP, FE Colleges, training providers, social housing providers, green community voluntary organisations and construction employers of all sizes and any other identified relevant stakeholders. We welcome new members to the group, if you would like to join, please contact Katie Matthews katie.matthews@hants.gov.uk
What The Retrofit Academy say about our partnership:
“Hampshire County Council have appointed The Retrofit Academy CIC (TRA) as their retrofit infrastructure partner. TRA are providing industry insight and knowledge in relation to the retrofit workforce that will be needed in the wider Hampshire area in the short to medium term. They are also putting in place a network of local training providers to deliver TRAs existing and new retrofit courses, ensuring that local tutors are trained and supported to deliver this vital new curriculum. Through their Retrofit Careers Hub, TRA are also ensuring that the career opportunity in retrofit is understood and are bringing job seekers to the attention of employers through an innovative career’s platform.”
An effective way of growing a workforce in line with your company’s own standards and values.
Employers can receive financial support towards training apprentices.
Apprentices develop the skills they need to progress rapidly in their jobs, making a more effective workforce. The Apprenticeship and Skills Hub can support employers to access the skills offer by providing impartial advice and guidance regarding all thing’s apprenticeships and skills.
Some examples of the flagship employers we are currently working with are Enterprise Rent a Car, Bid Foods, IBM, British Airways, Lenovo, Fullers Pubs.
Universities – 4 Universities and home to over 65,000 students
Hampshire is home to some of the country’s most prestigious and active universities whose research programmes lie at the heart of some of the UK’s most valuable industry sectors.
Hampshire offers businesses direct access to some of the world’s best academic resources and a pipeline of new talent. Our universities and colleges work with business to help shape their future needs and keep the economy thriving.
University of Southampton Homepage | University of Southampton
Within the global top 100 Universities, the University of Southampton is a research-intensive university and a founding member of the Russell Group. They have courses from over 65 subject areas which are informed by the latest research and taught by world-renowned academics.
Solent University Solent University | Southampton | Industry Focused Degrees
Solent University is a dynamic modern university, focused on creating opportunities for its students, as well as establishing partnerships to develop innovative projects. They are focused on the practical side of higher education – giving students the connections, experience and confidence to turn their newfound knowledge into a career with real, meaningful impact.
University of Portsmouth University of Portsmouth | A New Breed of University
Ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK and with an 88% student satisfaction rate, the University of Portsmouth stands out, not just in the UK but in the world, in innovation and research. Opened in 1908, the University of Portsmouth generates knowledge and provides real solutions to important questions about the future, i.e. public health, global security, sustainability and environment, future and emerging technologies.
University of Winchester University of Winchester: The place to be the difference
Established in 1840 by the Church of England, this century-old university boasts great history and success. With a growing reputation for research excellence and 82% of submitted research recognised internationally, the University of Winchester tackles global challenges.
21 major colleges and several centres of excellence
Includes sixth form colleges, secondary schools with sixth forms and FE inspections in higher education institutions.
One in every 46 children educated in England is taught in Hampshire and around 9,000 teachers are employed in Hampshire’s schools.
Over 90% of Hampshire schools are judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and educational attainment is better than the national average.
Backed by over £13 million in funding from the Department for Education, the South Coast Institute of Technology is a collaboration of five further education colleges and two universities. Working with high profile employers to deliver industry-led courses across the marine and maritime and digital sectors, focussing on addressing skills gaps and supporting the economic growth of the South Coast.
South Coast IOT – Building Talent Together
T Levels are new 2-year courses which are taken after GCSEs and are equivalent to 3 A Levels. Launched in September 2020, these courses have been developed in collaboration with employers and education providers so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for entry into skilled employment, an apprenticeship or related technical study through further or higher education.
T Levels offer students practical and knowledge-based learning at a school or college and on-the-job experience through an industry placement of at least 315 hours – approximately 45 days.
There is a strong and increasing T level offer available in Hampshire’s FE colleges.
There is an extensive programme of careers and work experience activity available in Hampshire schools which links the world of work with the school curriculum and helps to develop the workforce of the future.
Careers hub | EM3 (enterprisem3.org.uk)
Course: Hampshire Futures Careers Information Service (skillsandparticipation.co.uk)
Business Hampshire is the economic development service of Hampshire County Council.
© Hampshire County Council 2023