Doncaster has a record number of highly skilled workers

The statistic was revealed at yesterday’s council Cabinet meeting as part of the latest Finance and Performance Improvement Report, and means that 36 per cent of the borough’s population, aged 16 plus, now works in a highly skilled occupation.

This includes managers, directors, science, health, social care teaching, research, engineering, technology, business and media professionals.

This time last year, the figure stood at 32.6 per cent.

Despite this, there is still some way to go close the overall gap with the Yorkshire and Humber average, which stands at 40.1 per cent and the England average of 44.9 per cent.

Cabinet member for Business and Skills, Coun Bill Mordue said: “The growing number of highly-skilled jobs in Doncaster emphasises that our efforts to improve the local economy are paying off.

“Doncaster is fast becoming a hub for world-class engineering and regeneration schemes, with the Great Yorkshire Way recently opened, while construction continues at the iPort.

“We will also soon be able to train the next generation of highly-skilled workers at the National College for High Speed Rail.”

Dan Fell, chief executive of Doncaster Chamber, said: “Creating more highly skilled jobs – particularly in key sectors like rail and manufacturing – will help the borough become more resilient to economic shocks and, in a presently uncertain world, that is very important.

“Progress also brings about fresh challenges. As more firms require highly skilled workers, competition for talent increases and – more than ever – businesses are anecdotally reporting difficulty recruiting people.

“We need to ensure that robust strategies are in place to attract experienced talent to the borough from elsewhere in addition to ‘growing our own’ through our schools and colleges.”