Workers in Kent are underqualified, underskilled and underproductive compared to the rest of the country, according to a new report.

Research has shown only 41% of the county’s 1.8m residents have a level four qualification or above, compared to the national average of 45%.

Kent’s workforce is 6% less productive than counterparts elsewhere in England, leading to a slump in income levels.

A document to be studied by Kent County Council’s (KCC) Growth, Economic Development and Communities committee next week (May 14) outlines opportunities to ease those trends, such as through apprenticeships.

KCC wants to improve the effectiveness of the apprenticeship programme, reduce the numbers of the economically inactive, raise skills levels and improve job prospects.

Overall, Kent also under-performs compared to its neighbours in the southeast of England.

The report states: “More productive jobs generate higher levels of pay locally, and this is associated with higher living standards and better health outcomes.

“Kent also has a workforce ‘skills deficit’. Workforce qualifications at intermediate and higher qualification levels in Kent lag behind the national average.”

The report says that while Kent’s GCSE grades are higher than the national average, A level attainment falls below the national average.

This is particularly true in East Kent: Swale, Thanet, Dover and Folkestone and Hythe.

The report states: “Consequently, there has been a strong focus on addressing workforce skills challenges in recent years.

“The provision offered by Kent’s three further education colleges has been consolidated and strengthened alongside significant improvements made in developing links between skills providers, employers and other strategic providers.

“These are being reinforced through the Kent and Medway Employment Task Force…and the commissioning of a detailed evidence base of skills requirements in all local sectors.

“Both main political parties have announced plans to reform the apprenticeship system should they form the government after the next General Election.”

Committee member and Labour KCC member for Thanet, Cllr Barry Lewis, said the selective secondary school system potentially disadvantages 75% of Kent’s children and those grammar students who attend universities outside Kent often never come back.

He added: “It’s also true that we have low wages in places like East Kent where some employers see cheap labour as the way to profits.

“The county suffers from lack of investment in skilled jobs and apprenticeships. The proximity to London doesn’t help Kent generally as people will go there for better wages.”

The number of people who were unemployed in Kent in February 2024 was 33,635 which is 7.7% higher than last year. The claimant rate in Kent is currently 3.5%, below the British average rate of 3.8%.

Youth unemployment (18-24) in Kent is 5.3%, slightly above the national average of 5.2%. Thanet has the highest rate of youth unemployment in the South East at 9.9%.

Unemployment has increased for both males (+5.7%) and females (+10.4%) since last year. Currently 4% of males and 3% of females are unemployed.

Former committee deputy chairman, Cllr Sean Holden (Con) supports the need for apprenticeships and vocational training.

The Cranbrook councillor said that apprenticeships have struggled in the past while people have been lured away to universities.

Cllr Holden added: “What employers have told us in the past is that it is the education system that is letting them down.

“On the one hand, young people are turning up for training courses with poor literacy or numeracy, not realising it involves getting there on time and being presentable.

“The New Labour government allowed all polytechnics to become universities but were offering degree courses like football management and dance.”

Cllr Holden said that employers said that apprentices can sometimes take the training before “hopping off” to another company for more money.

KCC intends to work with the Department for Education and the Education and Skills Funding Agency Working with the DFE/ESFA for more apprenticeship money and lobby for a more sustainable system.

The council recognises the need “to look at ways to work with employers, apprentices and training providers to improve the successful completion of apprenticeships”.

KCC wants a relaxation of how the apprenticeship levy is applied and to have a central point where positions are advertised.