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About North East Higher Skills Network

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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.