Careers conference discusses county's employment opportunities of the future

A careers conference which brought together employers from across the county has painted a picture of the jobs landscape of the future.

Key leaders in the skills and education sector discussed how low carbon, cyber, digital and STEM jobs are set to be some of the fastest-growing employment opportunities in Lancashire.

More than 150 delegates heard how more low carbon jobs per head are set to be created in Lancashire than anywhere in the country.

Cyber jobs are also on the horizon with one of the guest speakers at the conference a representative of the National Cyber Force (NCF), a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and GCHQ, which will have its new headquarters in Samlesbury from 2024.

However, Joseph Mount of the Lancashire Skills Hub shared the county’s latest data. Lancashire’s employment rate is 72.3 per cent, 2.5 per cent below the national average. It was 76.2 per cent before the pandemic. In total 20,000 job vacancies were advertised in Lancashire in March.

Employers are having to post three times on average to fill a job with analytical skills being one of the fastest-growing skills required.

The event was held by Lancashire Careers Hub, which is co-funded by the Careers & Enterprise Company, the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Lancashire County Council and Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen unitary authorities.

The Careers Hub helps link businesses and organisations with schools and colleges to inspire young people about employment opportunities across the county, and is delivered by Inspira. Organisations involved with the event included BAE Systems, Conlon Construction, Victrex, Pendleside Hospice and Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.