Qualifications - % of the working age population that have no formal qualifications (c21)

• This indicator measures the proportion of the working age population with no formal qualifications, using data from the national Annual Population Survey (APS), which provided high-quality, large-sample data for local area analysis on employment, education, and health at local levels.
• **The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has recently identified issues with how the APS is operating.  While the survey remains reliable for national and broad regional estimates, the quality of data for smaller population groups - such as individual local authorities - is considered less robust. In addition, the weighting method used for the APS has not been updated in line with the Labour Force Survey, meaning it is less representative of the current population. As a result, these figures are classed as statistics in development, and should be used with caution.  Work is ongoing within the council to monitor national developments and determine whether this indicator can continue to be reliably reported, or whether a suitable alternative measure will be needed.

Why this matters

• Measuring how many residents have no formal qualifications is important because it highlights where people may face barriers to getting secure, well‑paid work and where it restricts their ability to access current or developing employment opportunities.
• It helps identify skills gaps in the local workforce and shows where education, training, or employability support is most needed. Tracking this over time also indicates whether local programmes are helping people gain skills and access better job opportunities.

Latest performance

Data sourced from the Annual Population Survey (to be considered in line with the aforementioned caveat**)

Figure 21a shows a general downward trend over the years which shows ongoing improvement in terms of the proportion of North Lanarkshire’s working age population that have no formal qualifications. 

• Latest results in 2024 show a decrease to 12.8% from 14.3% in the previous year.  This is an improvement from The Plan for North Lanarkshire baseline of 13.6%.
• The latest results show there are around 26,800 of North Lanarkshire’s population with no formal qualifications (Figure 21b) - a decrease from The Plan’s baseline of 29,600. 

Data sourced from the Census

• Given the aforementioned caveat** regarding the data for this measure, some additional context can be provided through the recent Census results for which data has been captured in respect of the percentage of the population with the highest level of qualifications, although it should be noted that Census data is only available every 10 years, and it reflects a moment in time.
• Figure 21c shows the proportion of North Lanarkshire’s population with no formal qualifications as at the 2022 Census was 21.0% - a decrease from 33% in 2011 and 39.9% in 2001.

Improving the number of people who achieve formal qualifications has a wide range of positive impacts for individuals, employers, and the local economy. When more residents gain qualifications, they have better access to secure, higher‑paid jobs and are more likely to progress in work rather than remain in low‑paid or unstable employment. This strengthens financial stability for households, reduces the risk of poverty, and helps people manage rising living costs.

A more qualified workforce also makes the area more attractive to employers, supports business growth, and helps fill skills gaps in key sectors. This can lead to new job opportunities, higher productivity, and stronger local competitiveness. Higher skills levels are linked with better health, improved confidence, and increased participation in the community, all of which contribute to stronger, more resilient neighbourhoods.