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Sector information
Working Futures (2004) defines the sector with reference to the government’s Standard Industrial Classification, as covering general public service activities, such as:
- administration of central, regional and local bodies
- business and government regulation agencies
- foreign affairs
- judicial activities
- police and fire services
- compulsory social security (e.g. government employee pension scheme)
Other sources use broader definitions according to their responsibilities, such as the Local Government Employers’ Organisation or the Civil Service, which has taken over from the Central Government NTO, and will be making the case for a Sector Skills Council in the latter part of 2004. The definition of public administration used by these organisations includes all staff within their sector, disregarding their particular occupation. These differences in definitions mean some caution is required when interpreting data.
Local government is the collective term for local councils. It is a huge service provider which can be grouped into seven main areas (corporate, education, emergency, environmental, leisure, property and social services). Local government employs over two million people accounting for around 10% of the total workforce, making it collectively the largest employer in the UK. The civil service is made up of over 170 departments and agencies. Civil servants work on all kinds of topics affecting society and the nation. (The civil service employs nearly half a million people.)
Source: Working Futures 2004, SSDA 2004 and Prospects 2004
Public administration profile
| Industry profile | All industries | |
|---|---|---|
Share of UK Output (2002) | 5.3% | 100% |
Exposure to International Trade | low | average |
Concentration (market share of largest employers) | n/a | average |
Total employment (2002) | 1,461,000 | 29,336,000 |
Share of total employment (2002) | 4.8% | 100% |
Gender split (male: female) (% 2002) | 51:49 | 53:47 |
Part-time share (2002) | 17% | 27% |
Self-employment share (2002) | 1% | 12% |
Source: Working Futures 2004
Compared to the whole economy, the workforce in public administration is employed in larger establishments. About 50% of staff work in small companies (with 10 employees or less) and about a third work in middle sized organisations (with 11 to 49 employees).
Trends in employment (average change in the period), 1992-2012
Source: Working Futures 2004, table 6.22.1. Based on CE/IER estimates.
Future employment in public administration
Overall, there has been a long-term downward trend in public administration employment over the last two decades. This was caused partly by the introduction of new technologies and automation of some areas of service provision together with contracting out.
In the short to medium term, however, additional resources for health and education are likely to result in increased employment opportunities in public administration in these sectors, and this will build on recent sharp increases in employment in both central and local government.
Policy initiatives and political changes will also affect future employment in the sector, for example:
- The national e-government strategy aims to have all public sector services available electronically by 2005. The influence this will have on future employment cannot yet be estimated. More information on the development of the e-government is available on the Cabinet Office’s e-Government Unit website and on the Employers’ Organisation for local government website.
- There is also some movement towards regional governments in England.
- A programme of civil service reform is being inplemented by all governmental departments and agencies across the UK.
- There are targets to double numbers of women and disabled people at senior levels by 2004/2005. Consequently, the civil service has introduced a number of measures including Elevator Partnership (a mentoring system for junior women managers) and Pathways (a management development programme for ethnic minority civil servants with the potenial to reach the senior civil service level). For more information on ethnicity go to the Equal opportunities section.
Source: Working Futures 2004, Prospect 2004, CGNTO 2002 and Performance and Innovation Unit 2000
Hard-to-fill vacancies
About 19-36% of establishments reported vacancies of which 5-16% were hard to fill. 3% of establishments in England, 3% in Scotland and 8% in Wales reported skill shortage vacancies.
The highest distribution of hard-to-fill vacancies by occupation and region are:
England (2003)
- 26% professional occupations, compared to 7% of the whole economy in England
- 30% associate professional and technical occupation, compared to 12% of the whole economy
Northern Ireland (2002)
- 35% clerical and secretarial, compared to 7% in the whole Irish economy
- 19% professional occupations, compared to 4% of the whole economy
Scotland (2002)
- 56% administrative and secretarial occupations, compared to 7% of the whole economy in Scotland
- 24% professional occupations, compared to 4% of the whole economy
Source: SSDA 2004. Based on the Employers Skill Survey.
N.B. Available data include defence sector statistics. No data were available for Wales.
Skill gaps and shortages
In England many establishments reported internal skill gaps. These establishments with skill gaps reported that they had difficulties:
- in delivering quality (46%)
- in meeting customer services (44%)
In Northern Ireland, establishments with skill gaps reported that they had difficulties:
- in delivering quality (88%)
- in meeting customer services (83%)
- with increased operating costs (49%)
- with technological change (51%)
- introducing new working practices (54%)
No data were available for Scotland and Wales.
Source: SSDA 2004. Based on the Employers Skills Survey
Training in ICT, management and basic skills as well as skills for service delivery and specialists were defined as priorities in the Workforce Development Plan for Central Government.
Actions to improve qualifications include:
- working towards the establishment of IT NVQs Level 2 and 3
- developing arrangements to help facilitate joint procurements of management training
- promoting the use of generic skills qualifications and modern apprenticeships
- mapping project management training and qualification
- promoting customer service S/NVQs and facilitating joint procurement
Source: CGNTO 2001a
Click here for the Local Government Recruitment and Retention Survey (January 2003).
Click here for a summary factsheet on the Professional Skills for Government published by HM Government (October 2004).
N.B. Available data include defence and social security sector statistics and is based on the Employers Skills Survey and the Skills Monitoring Survey.
Vacancies, hard-to-fill vacancies and skill gaps in public administration anddefence, 2002/2003
Source: SSDA 2004. Based on the data from Employers Skills Survey and the Northern Ireland Skills Monitoring Survey.
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