Following the South West's designation as a Low Carbon Economic Area, EMB Consulting was commissioned by the South West Employment and Skills Partnership (ESP) to carry out a review of the Marine Energy (Wave and Tidal) and Offshore Wind sectors and to report on:
- Scenarios on employer demand for employment to 2020
- A summary of the type of skills required for these sectors
- What represented 'new' skills and what could be provided by adapting existing jobs/skills in existing sectors
- An analysis of projected shortages and gaps; and
- Recommendations to bridge shortages and gaps over the short, medium and long term.
This work included:
Significant desk research - Over 70 reports, documents and articles were reviewed to inform:
- The context for the study – policy, stakeholders and sector context
- Information on demand in terms of jobs growth and skills
- Information on labour market supply and skills provision; and
- Potential issues and solutions.
A full consultation process - A consultation process took place including approximately 50 individuals (employers, employer representatives, government departments, regional agencies, local authorities, training providers) in face to face interviews, telephone interviews and also group sessions such as the Marine Energy Skills Forum and the South West Low Carbon Cluster of Sector Skills Councils.
Draft Report and Testing of Findings - Following the desk research and consultation process a draft report was produced. This was then tested and debated in three fora:
- The Marine Energy Skills Forum
- A stakeholder grouping for the Round 3 Atlantic Array offshore wind project planned for the Bristol Channel; and
- A (virtual) stakeholder grouping for the Round 3 West of Isle of Wight offshore wind project.
Final report – A final report responding to all of the requirements of the brief and incorporating a short, medium and long term action plan.
"Without Liz's support and expertise we would not have had the capacity and resource to consult such a wide and varied range of stakeholders and partners. Liz facilitated events and conducted substantial primary research that was critical at this early stage of Marine Energy skills development. Her report was subsequently used by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and in the Skills White Paper (2011) it was included as a reference point and also to illustrate a comprehensive partnership approach to research and development."
Dawn Neale, Head of Sector Skills, South West Employment and Skills Partnership
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