Anne Green Warwick University Institute for Employment Research

1. NILES Conference 30th September 2004Migration as a means for addressing labour market deficiencies in Northamptonshire Anne Green Warwick University Institute for Employment Research EUROPEAN UNIONEuropean Social FundArticle 6 Innovative Measures

2. Scope of Project Undertake secondary research into the potential labour market deficiencies in the Northamptonshire labour market over the next 5-10 years – encompassing skill requirements at all levels Provide analysis to inform identification of potential sources of skills, and how they might be attracted to relocate/migrate to Northamptonshire Research Questions What are the current deficiencies in the Northamptonshire labour market? What will be the future deficiencies in the Northamptonshire labour market? Could migration increase the supply of skills to the Northamptonshire labour market? Topic of Study

3. Secondary data analysis National Employers Skills Survey Working Futures employment projections (SSDA) MKSM projections LSC Strategic Area Reviews Annual Business Inquiry Local Labour Force Survey 2001 Census of Population New Earnings Survey Commuting patterns Desk research/review of academic/policy literature Theories of migration Developments in migration policy Assessment of barriers to migration / integration Identification of factors encouraging migration Examples of action and initiatives in other areas Methodology

4. Occupations that are hard-to-fill Managers & senior officials 2% Professional occupations 6% Associate professionals & technical occupations 13% Admin & secretarial occupations 8% Skilled trade occupations 33% Personal service occupations 12% Sales & customer service occupations 16% Process, plant & machine operatives 10% Elementary occupations 13% Weighted Base: Employers with hard-to-fill vacancies 2184 Hard to Fill Vacancies by Occupation (NESS)

5. % of establishments General IT user skills 4% IT professional skills 7% Communications skills 27% Customer handling skills 25% Team working skills 29% Foreign language skills 4% Problem solving skills 21% Management skills 11% Numeracy skills 13% Literacy skills 14% Technical & practical skills 35% Weighted Base: Employers with hard-to-fill vacancies 2184 Skills Difficult to Obtain from Applicants (NESS)

6. All industries 000s % change per annum 2002 2007 2012 2002-2007 2007-2012 Managers & senior officials 49 51 55 0.6 1.8 Professional occupations 31 33 37 1.8 2.2 Associate Professional & Technical occupations 38 41 44 1.4 1.8 Administrative Clerical & Secretarial occupations 41 40 39 -0.4 -0.4 Skilled Trades occupations 39 35 31 -2.2 -2.0 Personal Service occupations 25 30 37 3.6 3.8 Sales & Customer Service occupations 27 30 34 2.2 2.1 Process Plant & Machine operators 36 34 34 -1.3 -0.2 Elementary occupations 39 35 31 -2.1 -2.7 Projections of Employment by Occupation (SSDA)

7. Key Issues / Questions • Migration or Mobility? • A role for commuter ‘clawback’? • Scope for enhanced participation / a greater role for (potential) labour already in situ? • Labour mobility as a complex issue – explained by a wide range of economic and non-economic factors:it is ‘a highly important but frustratingly complex phenomenon’ • Individual and household perspectives • Migrants are extremely heterogeneous – highly skilled migrants, transient seasonal workers, refugees, asylum seekers, etc • Migration is NOT a substitute or alternative to other labour market policy

8. Migration Policy: Context • Migration has risen up the policy agenda • Current strength of Northamptonshire and UK labour market • Economic globalisation • Increasing economic integration and labour mobility within the EU • Increased political stability across the globe – growing numbers of refugees and asylum seekers • Others are looking to migration to address labour market deficiencies (e.g. London FRESA, Scotland – Fresh Talent) – Northamptonshire will be ‘competing’ against other locations seeking to attract migrants

9. Migration Policy: Overview Aims of UK migration policy: • To prevent abuse of the asylum system • To help refugees to integrate • To open up ‘managed migration’ routes (i.e. liberalising economic migration through formal means) • Concerns about brain strain • Need to see migration policy as a continuum: entry controls → settlement → integration • Need for integrated, early, intensive and targeted measures • Need for a multi-pronged approach involving migrants and employers and training providers and other stakeholders • Importance of English language proficiency for employability and integration

10. Issue Action Commuter Clawback Mapping cross border labour market relationships Neighbouring Workforces Commuting into Northamptonshire As above – maintain awareness of trends in commuting Commuting

11. Issue Action Patterns of migration within UK Map migration flows in and out of Northamptonshire Migration drivers Analysis of what makes Northamptonshire an attractive destination for different sub-groups of the population Marketing of Northamptonshire as a place to live and work Ensure that migration drivers are flagged up in publicity material – recognising that different attributes are likely to be more attractive to some sub-groups than to others Migration from Within the UK

12. Issue Action Lack of information Development of information packs containing details of available services – for both migrants and for stakeholder organisations Obtaining skills Literacy, numeracy Language ESOL – need for flexible provision, and for mapping of services and maintenance of a central directory Non recognition of qualifications Need for accreditation and for conversion courses – with qualifications linked to progression Lack of UK work experience Emphasis on work-based placements in training courses Job search Enhance awareness of job search methods in UK Employer discrimination Refugee employment networks/forums Employer recognition of benefits of migrants Diversity awareness raising amongst employers potentially through IIP standard Partnership working Work with partners in Northamptonshire and particularly with regional bodies in the East Midlands to take the lead in setting up and funding initiatives for in-migrants Migration from Outside the UK

13. EUROPEAN UNIONEuropean Social FundArticle 6 Innovative Measures This project is one of a number of innovative measures part financed by the European Commission under Article 6 of the European Social Fund Regulation. Disclaimer: The contents of this presentation reflect the views of the author. The European Commission is not liable for any use that may be made thereof.