e-skills Summit - The Regional Response

John ParsonageDirector of Regional Learning and Skills

South East England Development Agency

Role of RDAs Further economic development and

regeneration Promote business efficiency, investment and

competitiveness Promote employment Enhance the development and application of

skills Contribute to the achievement of sustainable

development

Why is SEEDA involved?

• Planning for the future - Foresight

• Responding to key South East employers

• Importance of skills – particularly ICT

• Development of work skills - outside national curriculum

• Innovative idea, need organisation prepared to pilot

• Therefore crucial work in partnership and link in with other developments

IT Skills

Acquisition and application of IT skills critical to the knowledge economy

The Rise of the New Economy• The new economy marks a shift from an industrial

economy to a knowledge economy, driven by rapid advances in IT, especially the internet

• IT has made knowledge the new competitive resource, but knowledge only flows through technology - it resides in people

• IT has increased the pace of change, making flexibility and adaptability the name of the game - for organisations and for people

New Economy, New Skills, BSL - August 2001

Prepared for Skills Insight

Employer Needs

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

All businesses surveyed (Base 7269)

Businesses reporting skills problems amongstexisting workforce (Base 1053)

Source: Annual Skills Review 2001 Skills Insight

• Clear Profiles of ICT Rich and ICT Poor:– At the extreme, ICT Rich are Male, 25-45, Full time

employed in higher order occupations, and living in proximity of London

– At the extreme, ICT Poor are 55+

– At the extreme, ICT Poor are female, not in work and living in the South of the region

• Where there are children in a household, far more likely to have computer and internet access (could be age related)

Wired Region Research: SEEDA 2000

• Clear Polarisation in views on, and enthusiasm for the internet– More positive amongst young people

– Tails off amongst the 45+ (a key workforce group for the future)

– Less positive amongst low income groups, and lower order occupations

• Work access really only applies to those in higher order jobs– Others have to be motivated to have home access

Wired Region Research: SEEDA 2000

Access to Computers Important• Day to day access - more widespread with

intermediate and high skilled

• Low skilled - more likely to access at home rather than work

• High skilled more than 3 times as likely to have access at home and work

• Less than half employed in small businesses have access at work

• Low skilled with access are more likely to undertake training

Skills Audit, Skills Insight - July 2001

SEEDA’s Response

• E-skills into Business

• Computer Clubs 4 Girls

• Wired Region - development of learning portal - gateway to provision

• Mapping of IT provision - can we improve access / skill levels?

e-Skills into Business

• Working with Business Links in the South East Region on marketing programme to SMEs

• Working closely with SEEDA Sector Group

• LLSCs in the region supporting delivery through agreed action plans / cofinancing

• ESF Funding being secured

e-Skills into Business

• Over 54000 SMEs have been contacted through mailing

• UK Online for Business - 1.7m hits by SMEs on website seeking diagnostics, training and ESiB marketing package

• Plans for further roll out and dissemination of best practice across the regions in progress

Computer Clubs 4 GirlsLikes (spontaneous)

• Find out things for fun

• Find out things for homework

• Games

• It’s fun/entertaining

• It’s interesting

• I find out things quickly

• Help with school/homework

• Easy to use

• E-mail and Chat rooms

Base: All who use the internet (1029)Q38/39 What do you like most/least about the Internet?

15-1615-16

Base: All who use the internet (1029)Q39. What do you like least about using the internet? (spontaneous)

CC4G - Internet Dislikes

Nothing 41Too slow / takes too long 31Hard to find what you want 10I’m not allowed too long as too expensive 5Too expensive 4

7-107-10 11-1411-14Too slow / takes too long 34Nothing 29Hard to find what you want 11Too many adverts 9Too expensive 7Hard to find way around 6

Too slow / takes too long 38Nothing 22Hard to find what you want 14Too many adverts 12Too expensive 9Hard to find way around site 5

The Internet - Role in their LivesThe Internet plays a number of different roles in children’s lives

Surfing

Favourite sites- games, downloads, cheats

Interest

Homework

One 2 One

With Friends

Entertainment

Information

Communication

Constants Over the Past 3½ Years

• Despite girls achieving equality in terms of using the Internet, boys still more likely to be the experts on the Internet

• Boys and girls use the Internet in different ways– Girls - Communication– Boys - Doers

• Frustrations with the Internet remain– Too slow– Embarrassing sites– Difficulty finding sites

Wired Region

To enable all people and all businesses to live and prosper in the developing information society

and knowledge economy

Wired Region - Aims

• Identify gaps in the knowledge base of individuals and businesses and work with partners to fill these gaps.

• Identify gaps in access provision, particularly Broadband services, which justify remedial action by SEEDA with appropriate partners.

• Identify gaps in web based information, education and business services to which SEEDA and partners can make a value added difference, and to work to close these gaps.

Broadband ActivitiesLocal Loop Broadband High Speed Broadband

BT ADSL rollout mapping

Cable TV companyMapping

Mapping rollout of other

companies

Wireless provider mapping

Fixed Wireless Auctions

Alternative technologies

Fibre infrastructure mapping

Opening up SuperJANET

Local purchasing consortia

formation pilots

Enterprise Hub broadband network

Coastal Superhighway

Hastings Broadband

Discussions with Telecommunications companies

Web Developments Regional Portal

Business Portal

Sector Group Websites

Community Portal

Learning Portal

Government Portal

Regional Observatory

Finance South East

Tourist Boards BURA Portal

SEEDA Corporate

Website

SEEDA Intranet &

Extranet

Enterprise Hub Intranet

& Extranet

Trade Partners UKSmall Business

Service

Other public sector

partner sites

Private sector information

providers

Next Steps

• Development of solutions that are effective,

efficient and responsive

Feeds into:

• ICT Strategy for the South East - Regional

Economic Strategy

• e-skills Action Plan