Leitch Research - Meeting the Leitch targets « West Midlands Regional Observatory

The ‘scale of the task’ and potential economic impact

Our research analyses progress in the West Midlands region against the targets set out in the 2006 Leitch Review of Skills. The Leitch Review has the vision that:

"…in the 21st Century our natural resource is our people – and their potential is both untapped and vast. Skills will unlock that potential. The prize for our country will be enormous – higher productivity, the creation of wealth and social justice…. Skills is the most important level within our control to create wealth and to reduce social deprivation."

However, while the UK’s skills base has improved significantly over the last decade with rising school standards and growth in graduate numbers, it remains weak by international standards.

Despite substantial investment and reform plans already in place, by 2020 we will only have managed to 'run to stand still'. On our current trajectory, the UK’s comparative position will not have improved significantly.

Our research covers five stages:

Stage 1: Baseline Analysis

Published 10th April 2008

We analysed the current benchmark position for the West Midlands against the issues of concern to Leitch as compared to all English regions. Using this analysis, estimates for the 'scale of the task' facing the West Midlands can be derived.

Full report (PDF, 318KB)
Data annex (XLS, 223KB)

Stage 2: Trends continued

Last updated 3rd March 2008

We modeled a ‘trends continued’ projection from the baseline position. This uses recent performance in qualification attainment to predict expected qualification attainment to 2020 and estimates the scale of the task to address any remaining shortfall against the Leitch targets.

Projections dataset (XLS, 61KB)

Stage 3: Potential economic benefits for the West Midlands

Published 31st March 2008

Cambridge Econometrics analysed the potential economic benefits for the West Midlands, in terms of increased productivity and GVA and increased employment rates, if we are successful in meeting the Leitch targets.

Full report (PDF, 905KB)
Supporting data (XLS, 95KB)

Stage 4: Policy workshops

Published 18th February 2008

In this stage we summarised results from a series of policy workshops held across the West Midlands in February 2008 to discuss the implications of research findings, actions required and the barriers to overcome in order to reach the Leitch targets.