Workforce Development

Paid work is a key instrument in tackling social exclusion. The types of jobs that Barking and Dagenham residents can access, the wages they pay and the job security they provide are crucially dependent on skill levels.

The borough currently has one of the poorest qualified workforces in London. This can be measured through levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy, vocational qualifications or the proportion of residents with degrees.

As a result the average hourly wage is the lowest in the whole of London.

The development of London Riverside (Barking Riverside and South Dagenham) and the Thames Gateway will create thousands of jobs.

The task for us and our partners is to ensure that residents are equipped with the skills that enable them to compete effectively for these jobs.

We are currently looking at what further skills support we can provide to our partners. There is a range of support given already:

Support for individuals|

Support for businesses|

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