1. Berkshire Labour Market Update Q2 2018

2. Our quarterly Berkshire Labour Market Updates provide a comprehensive evidence base for the Elevate Berkshire programme. Elevate Berkshire aims to address unemployment and underemployment amongst year-olds to enable some of the ‘hardest to reach’ young people find jobs, stay in work and develop rewarding careers. The first part of the report focuses on young people in the labour market, whilst the second part provides contextual information about the Berkshire labour market as a whole. Caroline
About this report

3. Contents Part 1 – Berkshire’s youth labour market
Elevate Berkshire cohort
Youth unemployment
Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
Job market for entry level positions
Job opportunities
Job losses
Part 2 – Labour market trends
Labour market overview by local area
Employment, unemployment and inactivity trends
Jobseekers
Job market
Skills in demand
Contents

4. Key messages for Elevate Berkshire partners
This report is intended to be used as a reference document to help develop local intervention strategies and monitor progress.
The reports include data on:
The size of the Elevate Cohort
16/17 year olds Not in Education, Training or Employment
Young people claiming any Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit
Most frequently advertised entry level jobs
Please note, some datasets include full-time students and others do not. Please take this into account when interpreting findings.
Key messages for Elevate Berkshire partners

5. Overview The Berkshire Labour Market – July 2018
The UK labour market continues to expand despite the uncertainties surrounding Brexit. Employment rates are at a record high and unemployment is at its lowest rate for 42 years.
In Berkshire, employment rates remain high, and unemployment and economic inactivity low. Employment and unemployment rates are now back at their strong pre-recession (2008) levels.
The overall size of the Elevate Berkshire cohort (unemployed or economically inactive year olds who are not full-time students) stands at approximately 10,600*.
The top three occupations for job postings during the first quarter of 2018 were: software developer / engineers; account managers and project developers.
* This is based on survey data and is therefore subject to a degree of sampling variability.
Overview

6. Berkshire’s youth labour market

7. Key points The Elevate Berkshire cohort: Unemployed or economically
inactive year olds living in Berkshire
Key points
This graph shows the number of year-olds in Berkshire who are either unemployed or economically inactive and are not full-time students. This is the target cohort for the Elevate Berkshire programme
Between April 2017 and March 2018 there were in the region of 10,600 young people in this cohort at any one point in time, which equates to approximately 1 in 8 of all year-olds
Some of those within the cohort will be unavailable for work. For example, those with caring responsibilities or limiting health conditions
The majority of economically inactive young people are female and over the age of 20
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS (students excluded)

8. Unemployment amongst 16-24 year olds living in Berkshire (volume and rate)
Key points
The number of young people in Berkshire who are unemployed* has steadily remained low over the last four measurement periods.
Berkshire youth unemployment rate has not yet fallen below it’s pre-recession (2008) low.
*16-24 year olds who are not currently working, but would like to, and have actively sought employment within the last 4 weeks
** Please note, this measure of unemployment includes students
Source: Annual Population Survey**, ONS.
N.B. some fluctuation is due to sampling variation

9. Youth unemployment by Local Enterprise Partnership area - 2017
Key points
Youth unemployment in Berkshire is lower than the national average and is broadly in line with South East regional average
Six Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas have lower youth unemployment than Berkshire
Data is not available for some LEP areas due to small sample sizes .
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS
Data for the period January 2017 to December 2017

10. Key points Young people claiming unemployment benefit in Berkshire
It is estimated that only 20% of Berkshire’s young people who are unemployed (and are not full-time students) are claiming unemployment benefit (Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit)
The number of claimants has been pretty stable since March 2015
Since May 2018, all Berkshire JobCentres have been providing Universal Credit Full Service. The design of Universal Credit means that additional people will be counted in Claimant Count data and therefore these figures are likely to rise (irrespective of the performance of the local economy). The changes mean the Claimant Count has become a less reliable indictor of changes in labour market performance at both the local and national level. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) are currently running a consultation on the design of a potential new measure.
Source: DWP, Claimant Count

11. Young unemployment benefit claimants by year and local authority (discontinued)
Date
September 2015
September 2016
September 2017
Change
Bracknell Forest 95
110
120 9%
Reading
225
230 2%
Slough
210
240
220
-8%
West Berkshire
105
-21%
Windsor and Maidenhead 85 90 6%
Wokingham
100 75
-29%
Thames Valley Berkshire
845
890
830
-7%
South East
12,260
12,305
12,685 3%
England
140,245
134,435
133,025
-1%
Key points
The number of young people claiming unemployment benefit across Berkshire fell by 7% between September 2016 and September 2017
During this period, numbers fell in West Berkshire and in Wokingham, and rose in Bracknell Forest, Reading and Windsor and Maidenhead
NOTE: This data will no longer be updated due to the move of all Berkshire JobCentres to Universal Credit Full Service.
Reading currently has the highest number of young unemployment benefit claimants of the six Berkshire local authorities, followed by Slough
Eight of the ten wards with the most young unemployment benefit claimants are in Reading.
Wards with highest number of young unemployment benefit claimants – May 2018
Ward
Local Authority District
Total
Whitley
Reading 35
Battle 25
Caversham
Church
Minster
Norcot
Britwell
Slough
Kentwood 20
Park
Chalvey
Source: DWP, Claimant Count

12. Young people claiming Jobseekers Allowance for over 6 months and over 12 months (discontinued)
Key points
We have historically measured trends in long-term youth unemployment using data on the number of young people claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) for more than 6 months and more than 12 months
There was a big drop in long-term youth unemployment between early 2013 and late 2014
Since January 2015 long-term youth unemployment has declined slightly but at a much slower rate
NOTE: This timeseries will no longer be updated due to the move of all Berkshire JobCentres to Universal Credit Full Service.
Source: DWP, 2017

13. Young people claiming a DWP benefit, 2013 to 2016 (discontinued)
Key points
November 2013
November 2014
November 2015
November 2016
Bracknell Forest
840
790
700
600
Reading
1,610
1,430
1,240
1,000
Slough
1,450
1,170
810
West Berkshire
1,100
1,030
910
730
Windsor and Maidenhead
710
510
Wokingham
720
670
550
Thames Valley Berkshire
6,590
5,850
5,110
4,190
The number of year olds claiming any Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit dropped considerably from over 6,600 in November 2013 to around 4,200 in November 2016
Within Berkshire, Reading had the highest number of young people claiming a benefit, followed by Slough and West Berkshire
Windsor and Maidenhead, Bracknell Forest and Wokingham had the fewest number of young people claiming a benefit
This dataset has been discontinued due to changes to the way DWP publish benefit statistics
Source: DWP, 2017

14. 16-24 year old DWP benefit claimants by Ward, November 2016 (discontinued)
Key points
Ward
Unitary Authority
Number of year old benefit claimants
Whitley
Reading
140
Chalvey
Slough
115
Church 90
Minster
Old Bracknell
Bracknell Forest 85
Katesgrove 80
Battle 75
Norcot
Southcote 70
Baylis and Stoke
Britwell
Central
Abbey 65
Wexham Lea
Priestwood and Garth 60
Caversham
Cippenham Meadows
Haymill
Clay Hill
West Berkshire
Oldfield
RBWM
Berkshire Total
4,195
As with unemployment benefit claimants, the majority of Wards with the highest numbers of young people claiming any DWP benefit tend to be in Reading or Slough
In the latest data (2016) Whitley Ward in Reading topped the list followed by Chalvey in Slough
This dataset has been discontinued due to changes to the way DWP publish benefit statistics
Source: DWP, 2017

15. Windsor and Maidenhead Thames Valley Berkshire
16-24 year old DWP benefit claimants main reason for claiming (discontinued)
Key points
Statistical Group
Bracknell Forest
Reading
Slough
West Berkshire
Windsor and Maidenhead
Wokingham
Thames Valley Berkshire
Job seeker 40
100 70 20 30
300
ESA and incapacity benefits
240
340
260
250
190
200
1,480
Lone parent
210
170
110
950
Carer 60
230
Others on income related benefit 50 10
130
Disabled
160
180
1,100
Total
600
1,000
810
730
510
550
4,190
The aim of the Statistical Group definition is to categorise claimants by the main reasons why they are claiming benefits. Individuals are classified once
Benefits are arranged hierarchically (see table) and claimants are assigned to the top most benefit which they receive. For example, a person who is a lone parent and receives Incapacity Benefit would be classified as ESA and incapacity benefits
So the group lone parent, for example, will not contain all lone parents. Some will be included in the incapacity benefits group instead
The main benefit young people are claiming is Employment Support Allowance and incapacity benefits, followed by disability benefit
This dataset has been discontinued due to changes to the way DWP publish benefit statistics
Source: DWP, 2017

16. Key points 16-17 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training
Number of 16 and 17 year olds known to the local authority
Total number NEET (inc not known)
NEET or Activity Not Known
NEET
Activity Not Known %
% pt change from 2015
Bracknell Forest
2,360
120
5.2%
1.4
2.9%
2.3%
Reading
3,100
170
5.4%
0.0
3.7%
1.6%
Slough
3,500
130
0.4
2.8%
0.9%
West Berkshire
3,530 90
2.4%
-1.2
1.5%
1.0%
Windsor and Maidenhead
2,550
1140
44.8%
14.4
2.6%
42.2%
Wokingham
3,300
140
4.4%
0.9
2.1%
2.2%
In addition to data on unemployment, inactivity and benefit claimants, local authorities collect data on year-olds who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
In terms of definitions, a young person could be unemployed but not NEET (because they are undertaking training) or be NEET but not unemployed (because they are not seeking employment)
Excluding Windsor and Maidenhead (where a large amount of activity is not known), Reading has the highest NEET / Activity Not Known figures for year-olds within Berkshire, and West Berkshire the lowest
Between 2015 and 2016, NEET figures fell in West Berkshire, and rose in Bracknell Forest, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead and Wokingham
Source: DfE, based on local authority data. Data relates to December, January and February.

17. Most frequently advertised Level 1 / 2 entry level jobs in Berkshire - 2017
Key points
Personal Care Assistant
Service Engineer
Chef
Mechanic
Healthcare Assistant
Nursery Practitioner
Beauty Therapist
Junior Pensions Administrator
Receptionist
Recruiting Consultant
Teaching Assistant
Customer Service Desk Operative
Support Worker
Lead Generation Executive
Office Assistant
Pharmacy Technician
Sales Executive
Accounts Assistant
We can analyse job adverts posted online to get an idea of roles that are in high demand within the local economy and the type of skills they demand
The next few slides provide details on the most commonly advertised entry level jobs at different educational levels
An entry level job is defined as a job that requires 0-2 years experience, and is therefore potentially suitable for young people
This slide provides a list of the most frequently advertised entry level jobs that require applicants to have level 1 or 2 qualifications (e.g. GCSEs, NVQs at levels 1 or 2, Intermediate Apprenticeships)
In 2017, Personal Care Assistant topped the list, followed by Chef and Auxiliary Nurse
Source: Labour Insight, Burning Glass Technologies, 2017

18. Most frequently advertised Level 3, 4 and 5 entry level jobs in Berkshire - 2017
Key points
Chef
Vehicle Technician
Beauty Therapist
Deputy Room Leader
Assistant Manager
Laboratory Technician
Nursery Room Leader
Mechanical Design Engineer
Event Manager
Nursery Room Manager
Applications Engineer
Personal Care Assistant
Spa Therapist
Spa Manager
Help Desk Analyst
Sales Executive
Technician
This slide provides a list of the most frequently advertised entry level jobs that require applicants to have level 3, 4 or 5 qualifications (e.g. A-levels, NVQs at levels 3, 4 or 5, Advanced Apprenticeships, Higher Apprenticeships, HNCs, HNDs and Foundation Degrees)
Beauty Therapist tops the list again, followed by Kitchen Manager and Quantity Surveyor
Source: Labour Insight, Burning Glass Technologies, 2017

19. Key points Social Worker Civil Engineer Sales Executive
Most frequently advertised Level 6 and above entry level jobs in Berkshire
Key points
Social Worker
Civil Engineer
Sales Executive
Java Software Developer
Software Development Engineer
Marking Assistant
Sales Development Representative
Quantity Surveyor
Sales Representative
.Net Developer
Recruitment Consultant
Business Consultant
Technical Consultant
Sales Engineer
Accounts Manager
Business Analyst
Accounts Assistant
Front End Developer
Business Development Assistant
Marketing Manager
This slide provides a list of the most frequently advertised entry level jobs that require applicants to have level 6 or above qualifications (i.e. degree level or higher)
Social Worker tops this list, followed by Sales Executive and Business Analyst
Source: Labour Insight, Burning Glass Technologies, 2017

20. Berkshire’s labour market trends (all ages)

21. Comparative picture of Berkshire’s labour market – 2017/18
April 2017 – March 2018
2016
Population
Labour supply
Labour Demand
Employment
Unemployment
Economic inactivity
Claimant Count
Jobs
(000s)
Total (000s)
Rate (%)
Total (000s)
Rate (%)
Rate (%)
Level
Proportion (%)
Total (000s)
Jobs Density
ENGLAND
34,951
27,112
75.2
1,211
4.3
7,415
21.4
665,870
1.9
29,707
0.85
SOUTH EAST
5,608
4,557
78.5
159
3.4
1,040
18.7
66,796
1.2
4,920
0.88
THAMES VALLEY BERKSHIRE
575
473
80.3 14
2.8 99
17.3
5,556
1.0
586
1.02
Bracknell Forest 78 68
84.5 2
2.7 10
13.0
594
0.8 73
0.93
Reading
110 89
78.3 3
3.7 22
19.9
1,731
1.6
120
1.09
Slough 96 75
75.8
4.2 20
20.7
1,303
1.4 92
0.96
West Berkshire 98 83
82.7
2.4 15
15.5
641
0.7
1.12
Windsor and Maidenhead
82.3
718
1.04
Wokingham
101 81
79.5
2.5 18
18.0
569
0.6 95
0.94
Bordering local authorities
Basingstoke and Deane
103
88.9 11
10.1
1,002
0.9 97
0.87
Hart 58 49
87.3 1
2.3 7
12.2
288
0.5 52
0.91
Hillingdon
197
154
74.1
4.1 46
22.6
2,610
1.3
206
1.05
Runnymede 57 48
78.2
2.6 12
20.5
371 64
1.13
South Bucks 42 32
75.3
24.1
287 43
1.03
South Oxfordshire 84 66
77.4 16
19.4
457 74
Spelthorne 62 53
83.3
2.9 9
15.2
587 44
0.71
Surrey Heath 55 41
70.6
28.1
354 59
1.07
Test Valley 63
82.8
14.5
485 77
Vale of White Horse 80 67
83.1
14.4
534
Wiltshire
298
248
81.1
16.1
3,113
263
0.89
Wycombe
107 91
3.3
1,243
102
Key points
Berkshire has a higher employment rate, and lower unemployment and economic inactivity rates than both the national and regional averages
Within Berkshire, Bracknell Forest has the highest employment rate (84.5%) and Slough the lowest (75.8%)
Unemployment rates range from 4.2% in Slough to 2.4 % in West Berkshire
Slough and Reading are the only Berkshire local authority areas with unemployment rates higher than the regional average
Economic inactivity rates vary quite a bit across Berkshire, from 20.7% in Slough to 13% in Bracknell Forest
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS

22. Trends in employment, unemployment and economic inactivity
Key points
Employment rates have risen steadily in Berkshire over the last four year and now stand at 79.9%
Unemployment and economic inactivity rates have declined steadily
These trends mirror the national trend
The next three slides show the longer term trends in employment and unemployment
Source: Annual Population Survey, January to December 2016, ONS

23. Employment rate trends from 2014 to 2017
Key points
Berkshire’s employment rate (in blue) has, broadly speaking, been rising since 2011
This mirrors the national picture
Berkshire’s employment rate has now surpassed its pre-recession peak
Berkshire’s employment rate is approximately five percentage points high than the national rate
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS

24. Unemployment rate trends from 2014 to 2017
Key points
Unemployment rates in Berkshire have, broadly speaking, been falling since mid 2009
It took longer for England’s unemployment rate to start falling post recession, doing so in mid 2013
Berkshire’s unemployment rate has now fallen below its pre-recession low.
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS – Model based estimates

25. Unemployment rate trends from 2014 to 2017 by local authority
Key points
Within Berkshire, unemployment is once again highest in Slough, following an 18 month period where Reading had the highest unemployment rates
During the recession, unemployment rates rose highest in Slough, reaching a peak of nearly 10%. The rate then dropped considerably by 2015
Unemployment rates in the remaining four local authority areas are very low (less than 3%)
Source: Annual Population Survey, model-based estimates, ONS
N.B. some fluctuation is due to sampling variation

26. Thames Valley Berkshire
Jobseekers
Key points
Understanding who is seeking work and why people are economically inactive in Berkshire
Currently, approximately 32,100 people in Berkshire are not working but would like to.
Of these, 42% are actively seeking work and are therefore classified as being unemployed
The main reason for people being economically inactive in Berkshire is that they are looking after family or home, followed by being a student
A much lower proportion are inactive due to long-term sickness in Berkshire than the national average
*Those who ideally want a job but haven’t sought work in the last few weeks. This includes people with caring responsibilities who may struggle to find work to fit around those responsibilities.
Reason for being economically inactive
Thames Valley Berkshire
South East
England
Want a job
18.8
24.9
22.4
Do not want a job
81.2
75.1
77.6
Student
26.8
27.3
27.2
Looking after family / home
30.0
25.7
25.1
Long-term sick
16.1
17.4
21.2
Retired
12.9
15.4
13.0
Source: Annual Population Survey, April 2017 – March 2018, ONS

27. Most frequently advertised job vacancies in Berkshire, Q1 2018
Key points
Position
Occupation
Change in ranking from Q3 2017 1
Software Developer / Engineer
No change 2
Account Manager / Representative
Up (new entry) 3
Project Manager
Up six places 4
Office / Administrative Assistant
Up two places 5
Registered General Nurse 6
Sales Manager 7
Customer Service Representative
Down two places 8
Computer Support Specialist
Down six places 9
Chef 10
Recruiter
In Q1 of 2018, software developers / engineers were in highest demand across Berkshire, followed by account managers and project managers.
Occupations moving up the rankings from the previous quarter included account manager, project managers, sales managers, nurses and chefs.
Source: Labour Insight, Burning Glass Technologies, 2018

28. General skills in highest demand in Berkshire, 2017
Key points
Communications skills are by far the highest ‘general skill’ demanded by Berkshire employers
Planning and organisational skills are ranked second and third, followed by Excel.
General skills in highest demand in Berkshire, 2017
Source: Labour Insight, Burning Glass Technologies, 2018

29. Specialist skills in highest demand in Berkshire, 2016 and 2017
Key points
Specialist skills in highest demand in Berkshire, 2016 and 2017
Customer service skills topped the specialist skills ranking in 2017 for the third year in a row, followed by general sales and project management.
General accounting, teaching and budget management skills were the ‘highest climbers’ between 2016 and 2017
A smaller proportion of job postings required people with ‘general sales’ skills in 2017 than in 2016
Source: Labour Insight, Burning Glass Technologies, 2018

30. Computing skills in highest demand in Berkshire, 2017
Key points
Computing skills in highest demand in Berkshire, 2017
Microsoft Excel skills remain the most commonly sought computing skill of Berkshire employers
Programming languages in highest demand in 2017 were SQL, Javascript, LINUX and Java.
Source: Labour Insight, Burning Glass Technologies, 2018

31. Other research publications
The following labour market and business research publications can be found on the Thames Valley Berkshire LEP website, here:
Apprenticeships in Berkshire
Business in Berkshire (next update due November 2018)
Berkshire Economic Update
LMI for Schools
Thames Valley Berkshire Skills Priority Statement
Impact of the Apprenticeship Levy
Other research publications