City needs to prepare for a 'jobs bonanza'

MORE SKILLED LABOUR IS NEEDED TO FILL VACANCIES

- By ALISON STEPHENSON Local Democracy Reporter

THE race is on to get Plymouth's residents skilled up for the jobs bonanza that is coming its way, including supporting 40,000 people who are “economically inactive” to get back to work.

The total number of jobs in the city is forecast to grow by 25,000 over the next 10 years, mainly due to the Government's £4.4 billion investment in the naval base at Devonport and the dockyard, but Plymouth does not currently have sufficient skilled labour to meet the demands of this investment.

Poor educational and health outcomes, skilled labour retention and a lack of high-quality housing has all contributed to this, a meeting of the council's natural infrastructure and growth scrutiny panel heard last week.