9%
Our Environment
The Ayrshire Context
The Regional Skills Assessment for Ayrshire
demonstrates that:
of Ayrshire employers
reported having at least
one vacancy in their
business (1)
The region’s economy was contracting
prior to the start of the recession in 2008
and the impact of recession has been
more marked than seen nationally
Productivity per Ayrshire worker in 2013
was 71% of the Scottish average
2%
of Ayrshire employers said
they had a vacancy that was
hard to fill due to a lack
of skills, qualifications or
experience in applicants (1)
Our strategy is defined by the needs
of our region, and aligns with national
priorities.
There are many areas of opportunity and
optimism with work being led by the
Ayrshire Economic Partnership to support
key sectors like engineering, food and drink,
tourism and energy.
Firms operate across the range of sectors
in Ayrshire that offer potential for future
growth.
Economic trends and indicators in Ayrshire
tend to follow those of Scotland as a
whole, although there are some important
differences.
The Ayrshire economy is more dependent
on public services than the Scottish
economy as a whole
The employment rate in the three
Ayrshire local authorities, particularly in
East and North Ayrshire, has consistently
been below the Scottish average since
2009.
Potential future job opportunities are
highlighted in food and drink, tourism,
aerospace, chemical and life sciences.
Growth is forecast in the digital, health
and social care and construction sectors
A net employment change of 8% is
forecast in Ayrshire between 2012 and
2022 with the majority of job openings
requiring recruits with higher level skills
and qualifications