Pages for Employers

What can we do for employers?

The North East Higher Skills Network has a team of people available to help you to identify the higher skills needs of your workforce, and find the most appropriate higher learning to meet your needs. Our team can advise on:

  • Courses already available in the region which might meet your needs and those of your workforce
  • Costing of courses, and how to get the most out of working with a higher education provider
  • Developing appraisal tools to help you assess the need for higher skills development in your organisation
  • Developing bespoke courses tailored to meet your organisational and workforce training goals, delivered in a way that works for your employees and for you

How can you access support?

The Network’s services are offered free of charge to public and private sector organisations of all sizes. To find out more, talk to one of our team.

Tel 01642 342963

Email nehsn@tees.ac.uk

Sectors

FAQs

How is the North East Higher Skills Network (NEHSN) funded?

NEHSN, created in 2006, is part of a nationwide scheme to develop Lifelong Learning Networks (LLNs) in each English region. LLNs are funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The overall aim of the LLNs is to combine the strengths of a number of institutions to improve opportunities for vocational learners to progress into and through higher education.

What is NEHSN’s vision?

To create an environment in which vocational learners and employers have access to the most relevant, accessible and innovative higher level learning opportunities in the country.

Why are higher skills so important?

Future prosperity for the UK will mean moving towards a knowledge-based economy. The majority of growth, UK-wide and in the North East, is predicted to be at intermediate and higher level occupations, which need specialist higher skills. The Leitch report, ‘World Class Skills’, predicts that to remain competitive in the global economy 40% of UK workers will need level 4 qualifications by 2020, compared to 29% in 2005. There is also evidence that companies located in areas where a higher percentage of the population have level 4+ qualifications are more productive and pay higher wages. In the North East it is predicted that career opportunities for people with level 4+ qualifications will increase by 31.5%, whereas they will fall by 76% for people with no qualifications.

What is the situation in the North East?

Although the regional economy has grown faster than average since 2000 North East England still lags behind the rest of the country. Productivity (gross value added) per head of population is only 77% of the UK average. Unemployment and social deprivation are above the national average. A major reason for this disparity appears to be the poor skills base in the workforce - only 21.3% of the North East population is qualified to level 4 compared to 26.2% nationally. Additionally, North East employers estimate that 6% of their employees are not sufficiently skilled to be proficient at their current job.

However, a number of initiatives are addressing the problem. One NorthEast is leading the drive to attract more companies and investment to the North East through initiatives like Science City, Digital City and Design Centre of Excellence. NEHSN is working to ensure that the workforce is able to fill the higher level jobs that this drive will create.

Why is there a focus on Engineering, Health & Social Care and Leadership & Management?

The three target sectors for NEHSN have been chosen because they are economically important (in terms of numbers of jobs) and because there are existing education and training opportunities in these sectors that we can strengthen. NEHSN may widen its remit to include other sectors in the future.

What is vocational learning?

Vocational learning is the development of skills and knowledge within work-related contexts. Currently vocational learning ranges from formal qualifications to on-the-job training. NEHSN aims to unify these diverse approaches to ensure that all learning activities can contribute towards recognised qualifications through a single system of credit accumulation and transfer (CAT).

What are higher skills?

Higher skills are the specialist knowledge or competencies required to be proficient in intermediate and higher level jobs. They are developed through Higher Education qualifications and training at level 4 and above. Level 4 is defined by the National Qualification Framework as equivalent to an HNC or the first year of a Bachelors or Foundation Degree (see table).

LevelTypical Qualification
Level 1BTEC Introductory, Level 1 NVQ, Foundation GNVQ, GCSE Grades D-G
Level 2BTEC Firsts, Level 2 NVQ, Intermediate GNVQ, GCSE Grades A*-C
Level 3BTEC/OCR Nationals, Level 3 NVQ, Advanced GNVQ, AVCE, A-levels
Level 4Certificates of Higher Education, HNC, First year Degree or Foundation Degree
Level 5Diplomas of Higher Education, HND, Second year Degree or Foundation Degree
Level 6Bachelors Degrees, Foundation Degree completion awards
Level 7Masters degrees, Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas
Level 8Doctorates

References

1. Prosperity for all in the global economy – world class skills’ (2006) S Leitch, The Stationery Office
2. Working Futures 2004-2014 Spatial Report’ (2006) A Green, K Hominidou, R White & R Wilson, Sector Skills Development Agency
3. Employment and Skills Issues in the North East’ (2007) Tyne & Wear Research & Information, Skills North East
4. North East Regional Strategic Analysis 2007/08’ (2007) A Rowell, Learning & Skills Council North East
5. Skills, Workforce Characteristics and Firm-Level Productivity in England’ (2005) F Galindo-Rueda & J Haskel, DTI/DfES/ONS