EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - ASC Report 'Mind the skills gap': Sustainable communities need improved knowledge and skills

ASC Report 'Mind the skills gap': Sustainable communities need improved knowledge and skills

Introduction

The creation and maintenance of sustainable communities depends on the efforts of a wide range of occupations. However, there is growing evidence that many of these professions face acute recruitment shortages in the UK. It also seems that there is a lack of essential generic skills among professionals.
In the light of these developments, a major piece of research was undertaken by Arup on behalf of the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC). The study provides the first cross-sector assessment of supply and demand of skills required to deliver sustainable communities. It provides detailed information on current and forecasted labour shortages and skills gaps, by profession and by region.

Description

Organisations need well-qualified staff with a range of generic skills in order to deliver sustainable communities. This research shows that there are people shortages across the sector, that there are concerns over some technical skills and that generic skills remain important, and lacking, in many areas. Although the sector contains many committed and skilled individuals, these shortages and weaknesses threaten delivery in the short to medium term. However, since the Egan Review, there has been notable progress towards improving generic skills made by the ASC, Regional Centres of Excellence (RCEs) and professional institutions.

Background information

Building sustainable communities depends on the efforts of a wide range of occupations, including architecture, planning, civil engineering, surveying, housing, community development, neighbourhood management, economic development and increasingly environmental management. This study provides the sector with an opportunity to assess what we’re doing to tackle these issues and ensure that we accelerate our programmes to meet market demand.

Methodology

An online survey of 146 organisations involved in the delivery of sustainable communities
An online survey of 763 individuals
Case study audits of sustainable community projects and organisations
A modelling exercise to provide forecasts of the scale of gaps in labour supply - the model used to forecast labour shortages is based on a continuation of current trends and indicates the speed and direction of labour market changes.

Conclusions

The study found that:

Significant investment and progress has already been made by organisations in tackling shortages
Labour shortages and skills gaps are widening
Multidisciplinary working and generic skills are essential to delivering sustainable communities
Further research into the subject is required

The Report formulates several recommendations to address the skills gaps and labour shortages relating to the delivery of sustainable communities:

Promote a national drive to address skills gaps
Recognise generic skills are key
Work to address labour shortages, recruitment and retention
Identify, recognise and promote technical skills
Promote best practice
Develop and embed a common understanding of sustainable communities
Undertake further research into the subject

The role of the Academy for Sustainable Communities in the implementation of these recommendations is of great importance. The Report states that ASC needs to continue its role as the national centre for delivering skills for sustainable communities. It should ontinue working with partners across the sector to ensure a coherent and integrated approach to tackling shortages and gaps.

Contact info

Academy for Sustainable Communities
enquiries@ascskills.org.uk
Dr Jemma Basham (Research and Best Practice Manager), tel. +44 113 394 4582

Publication date

/09/2007

Project finished

//2007

Researcher

Arup

Links

For more information please visit the ASC website

Click here to read the full ASC 'Mind the skills gap' Report (PDF, Eng, 3.2MB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment

Keywords

Training