There is a high demand for people with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) qualifications in the Humber because they are very useful to our local industries. At present women are under-represented in these roles.
WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER TAKING A STEM BASED CAREER?
- There are a wide variety of very interesting and exciting roles which play an important part in manufacturing components, food, energy and chemicals used in our day to day lives (paints, clothing etc.).
- The number of these roles is growing now and this is predicted to continue
- The pay and prospects are attractive in these careers compared to more traditional female dominated areas.
- There are now different routes to qualifications (apprenticeships, distance learning as well as University).
WHERE ARE THE JOBS IN THE HUMBER?
- The area is currently being transformed by the rapid developments and large scale investment in offshore wind power.
- The largest numbers of jobs in the region are in retail and wholesale, manufacturing and health and social care.
- Manufacturing, which is twice the proportion of the UK average, and recent developments related to the North Sea wind farm will reinforce this prominence.
The key sectors expected to provide opportunities for growth in the region are:
- Ports and logistics: The Humber has the busiest ports in the UK, with sites available for manufacturing and logistics hubs, as well as world-leading expertise in logistics. There are also plans to build a new cruise ship terminal near The Deep.
- Renewable energy: Following major investments from Siemens Gamesa and Ørsted in the region, there is now an ongoing programme of investment in wind, tidal, biofuels and renewable feedstocks.
- Chemicals: A £6billion chemical manufacturing/processing industry economy produces bulk chemicals, fibres, paints and coatings and pharmaceutical ingredients.
- Healthcare: Our region is home to giants Smith & Nephew and RB’s new research facility, as well as a world-class medical school and university with state-of-the-art healthcare research facilities.
- Food: the region has one of the largest concentrations of food manufacturing, research, storage and distribution companies in Europe.
- Digital: The Humber area is home to the fastest growing digital sector in the UK outside London, including digital gaming, while the C4DI centre in Hull helps and supports high-tech incubation and startup companies.
- Engineering and manufacturing: Advanced engineering employs 25,000 people in the region, with employers including British Steel, Howden Joinery and Guardian Industries. Siemens Mobility have also confirmed their plan to build a £200M factory at Goole, which will employ 700 people to make trains for the London Underground.
- Construction: By 2021 the Yorkshire & Humber region will need at least 1,800 new skilled workers in construction with the total number employed to rise to above 200,000. Companies such as Spencer Group, Jacobs, Sewell Group and Clugston Group are all large construction sector employers located in the Humber region.
EMPLOYMENT & SALARY DATA
There are approximately 25,000 businesses in the Humber providing over 400,000 jobs
- 77% of people are employed and 8% self-employed
- 1 in 5 are educated to degree level or higher
- Almost half the workforce is classified as managerial, professional or skilled
- Manufacturing contributes 17% of our employment compared to 10% for England
A lot of the newer really exciting jobs that offer good salary packages need a science, technology, engineering or maths base. The data on job vacancies also confirms a high demand for engineering professionals and technicians.
You can find out more at the LMI Humber website here.
