Mission to up-skill Plymouth residents for job opportunities

Devonport Dockyard workforce to grow by 7,500

Plymouth needs local people to increase their skills it can maximise “vast opportunities” over the next few years, according to council leader Tudor Evans.

Mr Evans (Lab, Ham) claims Plymouth is “on the cusp” of realising its potential but must make “a concerted effort” to raise skills.

Unveiling the Plymouth Economic Strategy, he told members of a group called then natural infrastructure and growth scrutiny panel that high value jobs are crucial to improving prosperity, with 7,500 alone at Babcock’s Devonport Dockyard including 2,000 construction jobs over the next 10 years.

Over the last two years 7,000 jobs have been created in the city.

As well as focusing on marine, defence and manufacturing industries, the council aims to support emerging sectors such as floating offshore wind (Flow) and creative industries, as well as development of the city’s four ports.

But Mr Evans says the way forward is not without challenges, as the labour market is tight, there is a growing demand for skilled workers, the city centre needs ‘reimagining’ and there is a climate emergency.

He wants the benefits of growth to be felt across the whole city, raising living standards and improving residents’ health and supporting people to access new opportunities.

Mr Evans said Plymouth has high numbers of people with no skills and others with few advanced skills.

The city has a plan to create a marine and green energy skills hub for City College within a redeveloped Civic Centre.

Cllr Evans said Plymouth has every reason to be proud as a place where economic growth goes hand-in-hand with what he called ‘balanced living’.

Consultancy firm PwC’s report ‘Good Growth for Cities’ listed Plymouth as the top one in the country for economic growth and quality of life, ahead of London, Manchester and Birmingham.

“We are fortunate to have amazing businesses, world class teaching and research institutions and vast opportunities,” said Cllr Evans. “We are the only place in the UK where a continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent can be based and that guarantees a 70-year pipeline for investment in our dockyard.

“Can you tell me of another city where there is currently £4.4 billion worth of opportunity like there is in Devonport now? This level of investment is like our Olympic bid.”

Securing the south west’s only freeport, becoming the UK’s first marine park and opening The Box museum and art gallery are among the successes of the last few years.

The council’s head of economy, enterprise and employment Amanda Ratsey said employment levels at the dockyard are something the council should “wrap our arms around”.

She continued: “It is driving our growth but if we do not embrace it, we will miss out. We need to make it work for the whole city and that means making sure our local people can access those jobs.”

She said they need to raise aspirations in primary schools, make sure people were doing the right GCSEs for jobs and support progression in the further education and university system.

Ms Ratley said 63 per cent of students at Plymouth University said they wanted to live and work in the south west compared to six per cent nationally: “If we are fishing for talent, there is a clear  evidence base that that is where we need to go,” she said.

Cllr Charlotte Holloway (Lab, Lab, Drake) said greater focus on encouraging women in the defence and marine and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) sectors is needed.

Ms Ratley said all employers need to look at flexible hours, caring responsibilities, health issues, people returning to work and any other barriers to employment, and that a lack of childcare in Plymouth holds back growth.

She called for more homes to be built, and that plans for 5,000 new properties is insufficiently ambitious to cope with the workforce that is needed.

Committee members endorsed the Plymouth Economy Strategy plan which features four key areas: heart of the city, The waterfront and maritime, the north of the city (including Derriford Hospital and Science Park) and defence and Devonport.

The plan will be refreshed every three years.