National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are used as the standard national categorisation of qualifications and are a good way of assessing skills levels within an area. The data below indicates that skills levels in the Dorset sub-region are consistently above national averages and also that the proportion of the working age population without any qualifications is well below the average level.
% of working age population
Dorset *
SW
UK
NVQ Level 1 and above (eg. GCSE D-G)
82
82
77
NVQ Level 2 and above (eg. GCSE A*-C)
67
66
63
NVQ Level 3 and above (eg. A-Levels)
46
46
44
No qualifications
9
10
15
* including Bournemouth and Poole
ONS Dec 06
There is an excellent choice of both further and higher education facilities in the area with established and growing commercial links at an international level. Bournemouth University in particular has a flourishing research culture with expertise in business, design, engineering & computing, media, services management, conservation sciences and health & community. Of particular note is the University’s status as the National Centre for Computer Animation generating new ideas and commercial opportunities in digital media.
At the same time, the Arts Institute at Bournemouth has developed into one of the leading specialist education institutions in Europe, focusing exclusively upon contemporary art, design and media. There are numerous other further education facilities with commercial specialisms and links throughout the area.
The area also benefits from a high level of job related training. The latest Annual Population Survey shows that 32% of full-time employees in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole have received job related training in the last 13 weeks, compared with 30% both regionally and nationally.
