Locate in Leeds - Workforce
Workforce Summary
Profile of the Key Skills available in the area and in commuting distance:
Financial Intermediation 19,029 (43,572 in Leeds city region)
Insurance & pension funding 10,782 (15,230 in Leeds city region)
Legal Services 7,775 (14,606 in Leeds city region)
Creative & digital industries 12,004 (32,189 in Leeds city region)
Engineering 13,551 (53,553 in Leeds city region)
Printing 8,554 (30,047 in Leeds city region)
Nature and structure of the labour force, demographics
Leeds city region offers access to one of the largest skilled labour markets in the country, with over 1.5 million workers. Leeds itself has a total workforce of 449,100, made up of 417,000 employees and 31,200 self-employed (ABI/APS data, 2008). Over the next decade the Leeds resident labour force is expected to grow by 9%.
Between 1999 and 2009 total employment in Leeds increased by 8%, an increase of 31,600 jobs. For the 2011 to 2021 period, total employment is predicted to grow by 9.2%, creating an additional 39,500 jobs. Managerial and professional occupations are expected to account for 75% of net job growth
Financial and business services (116,500 employees) and public administration, education and health (117,200) are the largest areas of employment in Leeds. Manufacturing (34,900) and construction (32,200) remain strong job providers in the city.
Education and Qualification
There are 262 state schools in Leeds catering for over 109,000 pupils, making the city the second largest education provider in England. Around 88% of 16 year olds in Leeds continue in some form of education or training after compulsory education, and approximately 22,000 16-19 year olds are in full-time education.
Leeds is a first-class destination for higher education teaching and research. Leeds City Region is home to six universities - Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leeds Met, York and York St John - which produce more than 36,000 graduates each year. Leeds Trinity University College also offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The combined student population in the Leeds Metropolitan District exceeds 65,000 students, whilst the wider city region has over 121,000.
According to the Annual Population Survey 2009, 30.9% of Leeds' working age population is qualified to NVQ4 level or above, compared to 24.6% in Birmingham, 26.7% in Liverpool and 29.9% in Manchester.
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Availability
Leeds City Region, which is effectively Leeds` travel to work area, has a workforce of around 1.5 million, and over 2 million people live within 30 minutes drive of Leeds city centre. Every day over 100,000 people from the surrounding city region commute to work in Leeds.
Strong local traditions in shift work and part time working, willingness to travel, a high proportion of working women and a large student population, have enabled operations requiring a flexible and dedicated workforce to flourish in Leeds.
Labour Costs
The labour market in Leeds is large, diverse and skilled, yet salaries remain cost effective in relation to other UK competitors. The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2010 showed that mean gross weekly earnings in Leeds were £490.60, approximately in line with the UK average, and median weekly earnings £418. Leeds salaries are generally lower than those in London, the wider South-East, Manchester, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Bristol, and this is reflected in advertised salaries for positions at a variety of levels, from unskilled to professional.
Training and Recruitment Initiatives
Leeds City Council, its partners, and a wide range of training organisations work closely with companies to ensure that the skills of the workforce continue to match the city`s increasing demands.
Leeds Skills Board has been established to encourage more targeted investment in workforce skills and better alignment between the requirements of employers and suppliers of training and education.
A new partnership has been established to ensure that local people benefit from the massive levels of development activity taking place in the city. Construction Leeds brings together construction companies, public and private sector organisations to link local people to employment, training and enterprise opportunities.
The Regional Language Network Yorkshire & Humber can help employers source staff with appropriate language skills.
