Labour Market Partnership Action Plan 2025 - 2027 p2
2. MEA Labour Market Partnership 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 Action Plans
Subject to approval by the Council and DfC, this Action Plan will be implemented by LMP officers and appointed delivery partners under the oversight of the MEA LMP.
Discussions with partners and other councils has also identified a range of key areas where there are opportunities for joint delivery to ensure better clarity in the local labour market, ensuring good value for money and increasing opportunities across the region.
2.1. Strategic Priority 1 – To form and successfully deliver the functions of the local Labour Market Partnership for the area by:
- Reviewing available statistical information and engaging key stakeholders to identify employability or the labour market issues locally and addressing those issues;
- Preparing the LMP’s plans and organising the work of the partnership to meet priority needs;
- Putting in place implementation structures and delivery mechanisms that will contribute towards improved employability outcomes and/or labour market conditions.
- This may be achieved directly through the collaborative working of partnership members, through the work of its delivery groups or through working in partnership with, or supporting the work of others; and
- Increasing LMP awareness with the public and key stakeholders by planning communications activity to more proactively inform and promote the work of LMPs.
2.2. Strategic Priority 2 – To improve employability outcomes and/or labour market conditions locally by:
- Working in partnership with stakeholders including local statutory bodies/agencies, businesses, the voluntary sector and the community to address locally identified issues;
- Ensuring that local statutory bodies and agencies address employability and labour market conditions locally in their area, and where possible in collaboration with other key stakeholders;
- Providing comprehensive input into decision making processes about tackling actual and perceived barriers or negative impacts on employability or labour market conditions locally and giving feedback on the effectiveness of interventions on meeting outcomes;
- Identifying and implementing ways to educate communities and the local work force about employment opportunities or local labour market conditions; and
- Contributing to delivery of LMP Partnership Plans and initiatives that improve employability outcomes and/or labour market conditions locally.
2.3. Strategic Priority 3 – To promote and support delivery of existing employability or skills provision available either regionally or locally through:
- Promotion of relevant existing projects/initiatives, including building confidence and awareness through locality based engagement;
- Inclusion of initiatives/projects within local LMP Partnership Plans aimed at meeting the relevant objectives of the PfG and/or local Community Plan;
- Contribute to development of and/or make participant referrals to regional or other relevant local initiatives/projects aimed at improving employability and labour market conditions;
- Escalation of relevant issues and/or identifying priorities to be considered by the Regional LMP; and
- Contributing to public facing events and supporting effective engagement with an emphasis on improving employability outcomes and/or labour market conditions.
2.4 Turning the Curve: LMP Delivery and Development
To form and successfully deliver the functions of the local Labour Market Partnership for the area, the MEA LMP must ensure members feel the local LMP is making a positive contribution and delivering effectively.
Understanding the baseline
INDICATOR: Percentage of LMP members who feel the local LMP is making a positive contribution and delivering effectively (LMP)
Source: Mid and East Antrim Labour Market Partnership
What factors are causing the problem?
- Reduced number of Members attending LMP meetings or events due to other commitments.
What can be done?
Support LMP members in their role through case study visits, guest speakers, attendance at events and awareness raising of LMP activity.
Share the learning and best practice with LMP members and others.
Further enhance relationships built with employers and training providers.
How do we measure success?
LMP member feedback via surveys.
2.5 Turning the Curve: Economic Inactivity
To encourage participants back to work, the MEA LMP must support actions that endorse inclusive access to employability programmes, focusing on a community/employer partnership approach.
From the work undertaken by the LMP to date there is a recognition that sufficient time needs to be devoted to working with the economic inactive group and that is a small steps approach.
Increasing confidence, addressing barriers and providing insights into the world of work can take significant time and investment.
Understanding the baseline
INDICATOR: MEA Percentage of Economic Inactivity Rate (16-64) Ex Students
The economic inactivity in Mid and East Antrim is 15.5% excluding students which is lower than the NI economic inactivity rate within the working age population of 18.3% with some council areas over 25%.
Within the working age population, Mid & East Antrim account for 6% of the overall inactive within NI, a share that is smaller than the overall proportion of the size of the population.
Source: NISRA (LMI Portal)
What factors are causing the problem?
- Those who are economically inactive face a range of complex needs which cannot be solved through short range interventions.
- Disabilities and long-term health conditions are a significant factor as well as stress, anxiety, addiction, financial and personal issues.
- Navigating the support available can be challenging
- New residents and ethnic minorities are often not aware of the networks and support available to them.
What can be done?
LMP investment in initiatives that target the economically inactive and in turn promote diversity in the labour market:
- Develop the Do It Herself umbrella to include other skills areas to engage women on the skills ladder.
- Community Skills Programmes to engage residents on the learning ladder including, older residents and ethnic minorities.
- Insight Youth to engage with young people within MEA to increase awareness of support projects.
- Council have met with the UKSPF projects who are delivering in the MEA area to ensure there is no duplication in delivery.
- MEA will meet regularly with these organisations to ensure complementary delivery opportunities.
How do we measure success?
Improvement in economic inactivity rates.
2.6 Turning the curve: Unemployment
In terms of claimant count, in November 2023, 6.9% of all claimants in NI (2,605 individuals) were from Mid & Antrim.
The council area ranks joint fourth highest in terms of the claimant count rate (3%) in comparison to other councils and Mid & East Antrim is in line with the NI average claimant count rate (3.2%).
Understanding the baseline
INDICATOR: % MEA Claimant Count
The baseline trend prior to Covid-19 was an average job claimant number of 2,000.
Covid-19 created a significant economic shock that caused a spike in job claimant numbers to a peak of 4,235 (4.2%).
This has been slow to reduce despite strong industry demand, however, in November 2023 this had reduced to 2605 (3%) individuals.
Source: NISRA (LMI Portal)
What factors are causing the problem?
- Existing vacancies may be perceived as unattractive by potential applicants.
- Claimants may not have the skills to meet vacancy requisites.
- Claimants may face a range of social and personal barriers including lack of confidence, poor mental health, access to transport and childcare.
What can be done?
- Promote collaboration between employers and labour market partners.
- Provide wrap around support throughout academy and into work.
- Invest in initiatives that support increased employment:
- Enterprise Pathways
- Demand-led entry level employment academies including
- Health and Social Care, Childminding and Engineering
- Sector Attractiveness work in partnership with employers and Manufacturing Task Force and care sector.
- Additional support for care sector entrants to gain employment and gain additional skills.
How do we measure success?
- Reduction in long term unemployed job claimants
- Council has liaised with NRC and other providers to ensure there is no duplication.
2.7 Turning the curve: Disability
Of the employed within Mid and East Antrim, people with a disability made up 13.5% of the total which is at a higher level than the NI average of 12%.
The employment rate of people with disabilities is estimated to be a lot higher than the NI rate and in terms of disparities between those who do and do not have a disability, there is a 25.6 percentage point gap in the employment rate, the lowest in NI.
Understanding the baseline
INDICATOR: MEA Percentage of Employment rate of people with disabilities
Within Mid and East Antrim residents with disabilities have an employment rate of 53.9% vs 79.5% of those without.
This is lower than the average gap across NI (41.3pp) but still leaves a significant population to support into employment and skills pathways.
Source: NISRA (LMI Portal)
What factors are causing the problem?
- Difficult for any job seeker to access a central information point.
- Employers have a lack of awareness around recruiting those with disabilities/long term health conditions.
- Current Academy models generally too short for a person with disability and extra support required.
- SPF projects not targeting or providing suitable training support for people with disabilities who have higher qualification levels.
What can be done?
- Graduate Build Academy to support those with disabilities and long-term health conditions access employment opportunities in key sectors.
- Work Connections – Scaffold programme to support individuals with disabilities through stages in Personal Development, Employability, Mentoring and Placements.
- Start Out Programme - bitesize employability support and intro to the world of work for young people with disabilities and long-term health conditions.
- Work with charities to support those with long term health conditions to stay engaged in the labour market including Dementia NI and MEA Age Well Partnership.
How do we measure success?
- Percentage of working age adults with disabilities in employment
2.8 Turning the curve: Skilled Labour Supply
To support economic recovery and prosperity in the region, the MEA LMP must continue to support actions that will rapidly turn the curve on the MEA pay gap by investing in skills to deliver better quality jobs.
The MEA LMP have explored a range of employer-led higher skills academies to support participants to further develop industry skills to increase employee retention and reduce employee turnover.
Understanding the baseline
INDICATORS: MEA # Median Gross Pay by Place of Work
Static MEA median pay rates whilst NI median pay rates have risen by over 10% has resulted in a growing pay gap in MEA.
Source: NISRA LMI Portal
What factors are causing the problem?
- Economic shock – loss of well-paid jobs in recent years
- A low number of qualified workers with specialised skills
- New technology or changes to the structure of the economy
- Hi-tech Foreign Direct Investment favouring Belfast and surrounding regions with higher paid jobs
- Growing recognition of MEA as Cleantech hub
- A high proportion of rural MEA jobs in lower paid sectors e.g. agriculture
What can be done?
Support higher paid jobs by investing in a range of employer-led higher skills academies to support participants to further develop industry skills to increase employee retention, reduce employee turnover.
Also continuing to invest in new and emerging technologies to support MEA’s reputation as a leading region for cleantech and as a hydrogen hub economy:
- Interventions to encourage a skilled labour supply in key sector including higher skills academies:
- Classroom Upskilling
- Transport Academy
- Health & Social Care
- Engineering
- Cleantech
How do we measure success?
- MEA Median Gross Pay by Place of Work
2.9 Turning the curve: Increased awareness of existing regional/local employability or skills provision (LMP)
To promote and support delivery of existing employability or skills provision available either regionally or locally.
Understanding the baseline
INDICATORS: Increased awareness of existing regional/local employability or skills provision (LMP)
Source: Mid and East Antrim Labour Market Partnership
What factors are causing the problem?
Individuals unaware of the local employability and skills provision available.
What can be done?
Events used to support the objective of the LMP with the overall aim to support those seeking work to move into education, employment, or training through direct engagement with local employers training providers and support organisations, for example:
- Employability and wellbeing events
- MEA Science School - schools and employer engagement activities
- Takeover Days
- NI Apprenticeship Week 2026 and 2027
- Placement Insights Programme for young people with additional barriers
- Employer Advisory Service
How do we measure success?
- referrals to existing regional or local employability and skills provision (LMP)