Latest Information released onto the RLSO

A range of information has been developed to improve the intelligence available on RLSO, one of the first publications of this information is available within the Intelligence and resource section [Click Here] of the home page, this will take you to maps of point based information, as opposed to the vector based information that the main map format utilises. Previously this included the Higher and Further Education college locations including their contact details for campuses this information now includes the following:

Tourist Attractions South West Wales

The tourist attractions map is based upon information obtained through the Visit Wales organisation which collects data from its members regarding key areas. The attractions are then sub categorised into themes, for example wildlife attraction, or art and museum to allow the user to filter both category of attraction and ownership of attractions so that particular types of tourism can be investigated. The most valuable information available through this data is the visitor numbers which are available between the years of 2007 and 2009. By combining this information with the existing range of STEAM data a profile of tourism within the region can be developed

Secondary Education Institutions 

This map provides a variety of information for all the secondary schools within the regional learning partnership area, including information on contact details, principals and web addresses where available. By combing the information with the interactive Google mapping we can provide increased functionality to the data by allowing for filters for local authority areas.

Information is regularly being added the RLSO with future releases to include Agriculture and Higher Education statistics for September release

Third Sector Regional Profiling Exercise

The Researcher team with the support of the regions County Voluntary Councils (CVC’s) are beginning an exercise to profile the role, size and nature of the Third Sector within the RLP region. The profile will look at a wide variety of datasets and will follow the primary key themes of RLP; Education and Regeneration; it will also provide a broader view of the benefits of having an active and dynamic Third Sector within the region.

How will this research be undertaken?

Research into the activities of the regions Third Sector will take on a variety different formats, to ensure that the best possible spread of information is available across the region. This will include continued dialogue with our CVC partners who will provide a selection of internal data used, including information regarding funding received from government and local authorities as well as external sources of funding such as European funding. The research team will also use information collected on a wider level including that collected by the WCVA. Communications with additional Third Sector organisations shall also include an interactive online questionnaire designed with the assistance of or CVC partners to assist in identifying the major activities, size and beneficiaries of the regions Third Sector

Why is the profiling exercise being undertaken?

The primary reason for undertaking the exercise is to develop a greater understanding of the size and activities of the regions Third Sector this includes both the activities of the CVC’s as well as independent organisations. This will give key audiences including senior management and policy makers an evidence base to further develop engagement and collaboration with the Third Sector, this should allow for the better provision and use of resources in a financially difficult period. Although the project will only provide a point in time analysis of the sector the aim is for the exercise to be one of the most comprehensive that has been undertaken in the region.  

What will be the output of the exercise?

The output of the exercise will be an innovative report format which demonstrates the profile of the Third Sector with a range of fact based geographic and quantative analysis along with demonstrative qualitative information with a range of case studies from around the sector demonstrating the human impact of the Third Sectors work around Education and Regeneration. Data collected throughout the exercise will also be made available through the RLSO, where appropriate, to further strengthen the development of the observatory. The target date for completion is currently spring 2012 with a more advanced timeline being developed by the RLP team and our CVC partners.

If you would like further information regarding the ‘Third Sector Profiling Exercise’ then please contact the RLP researcher team on 01554 742427 or alternatively email Matt or Sion  on MRWalters@carmarthenshire.gov.uk and SRRoberts@cccpartners.org.uk who will deal with any queries that you may have

Tourism Data on the RLSO

Tourism Data on the RLSO

During the last few months, Tourism data has been uploaded onto the Regional Learning Skills Observatory. Datasets uploaded to date include the STEAM data. (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor). A brief background and explanation to what the STEAM data entails is noted below.

STEAM Model Background

The STEAM model is derived from a model developed by David James and Frank Hart in the process of developing a ten year tourism policy for the province of Saskatchewan, Canada in 1981. In 1985, following the establishment of Canada’s National Task Force on Tourism Data, Hart and James were appointed co-chairmen of the Working Party to consider Local Area Statistics.

In 1988 David James was appointed Director of Tourism and Amenities for Scarborough Borough Council and it was in that context that the Local Area Tourism Statistics model was transferred to the UK. The model was first run on behalf of Scarborough Borough Council in 1990. In 1991, the North Yorkshire County Council, together with the District Councils in the County, embarked on a pilot programme to evaluate the now-named ‘Scarborough/Scottish Tourism Economic Activity Monitor’. At the same time STEAM was adopted by a number of Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales.

STEAM on the RLSO

 To date there is STEAM data for the years 2004 to 2009 on the RLSO. The datasets included in the STEAM data are;

• Bed stocks (Monthly data for 2009)
• Employment in Tourism (Annual & Monthly data for 2009)
• Expenditure (Annual & Monthly data for 2009)
• Revenue by category of visitor
• Tourist Days
• Tourist Numbers

In addition to the STEAM data we have also used other datasets that are relevant to Tourism, which can also be found elsewhere on the site, and placed them within the Tourism theme. These datasets include;

• Learner aims by qualification type and institution – Leisure, Travel and Tourism
• Percentage of all local business units – Accommodation & Food Services
• Percentage of all local business units – Arts, Entertainment, Recreation & Other Services  

This was done to give the data some context and make it more user friendly; I.e. the user doesn’t have to looking everywhere for the data as we provide it directly to them.

New Tourism data – Coming Soon!

We are still in the process of obtaining certain datasets relative to the Tourism theme and during August and early September new datasets on the RLSO will include;

• Visit Wales South West Wales Attractions – Visitor Numbers for 2009 and 2008 in attractions in South West Wales
• 2010 STEAM data – An update of the current STEAM Data

During September, new sectors will be chosen for focus on the RLSO. This does not mean however that we will halt research for more Tourism data, and that we will stop to update the current datasets found on the site. If you have any suggestions regarding other possible datasets we could include on the RLSO, Tourism related or others, we would be more than happy to receive them.

Further Education Data – Uses for data

This week has seen the first publication of further education data for the RLP region on the RLSO, this data is shown for the regions Further Education Institutions (FEIs), it is worth mentioning that the data shows Gower College Swansea in its pre merger format of Swansea College and Gorseinon College. This is part of a range of education statistics that are to be rolled out in the in the near future regarding post 16 education to also include higher education as well.

‘The Learners by Aims’ data displays what qualifications are being obtained and in what broad subject areas, it does not necessarily show the student numbers, as individuals, as a single student may be studying a variety of courses at one time, for example 3 A levels. The data has been formatted within the RLSO to display the information in the interactive geographic format which allows the users to apply a range of functions including filters and changing the display. This is the first time that data has been shown in the institutional format on the site and provides an architecture for more institution based data, including Higher Education data which is currently in the development phase.

The aim of producing this data in this format is to further increase the potential for regional skills profiling, and to add a level of understanding of education amongst a variety of other statistics to allow for wider analysis around the education and regeneration agenda. The data can be used to address the issues faced not only by employers who are demanding an increasingly skilled workforce but also for learners themselves to identify key areas of employment and how personal development can be improved.

Initial analysis of the data shows that there is a wide range in the numbers of qualifications being obtained by learners at different FEIs the highest number is within Neat Port Talbot College with 39 260 courses being undertaken, the lowest number is 6325 a ration of 6 to 1 overall the number of qualifications being obtained has generally decreased slightly across all institutions although the greatest fall is within Swansea college with a reduction from 49 615 at its peak in 2006-07 to 27 090 in 2009-10 the remaining falls are of a much smaller magnitude.

Many subject areas receive a high profile within the media, one such subject area is that around the STEM agenda, STEM relates to the core subjects of Science Technology Engineering and Maths and is widely regarded as an area where there are general skill shortages throughout the economy, it is also heavily supported by both the Welsh Government and the UK Government in Westminster. The general media consensus is that uptake and of these courses is decline however by reviewing the data that we have on the courses under the subject areas of ‘Science and Mathematics’ and ‘Engineering and Manufacturing’ have actually increased from 14 360 in 2006-07 to 14 945 in 2009-10.  

Adroddiad Tymhorol yr Arsyllfa Dysgu a Sgiliau ar gyfer De Orllewin Cymru

Cefndir i’r Adroddiad

Yn ddiweddar fe gyhoeddwyd yr Adroddiad Tymhorol cyntaf ar yr Arsyllfa Ddysgu a Sgiliau ar gyfer De Orllewin Cymru. Mae’r adroddiad yma yn tynnu sylw at ddata allweddol ar gyfer y rhanbarth yn gyfangwbl, cyn manylu ar gyfer lefel sirol.

Mae’r adroddiad yma’n cynnwys y data mwyaf perthnasol a diweddar ar gyfer misoedd y Gwanwyn 2011 (Ebrill, Mai a Mehefin 2011). Y bwriad yw cynhyrchu’r ddogfen yma ar gyfer pob tymor, gyda’r data yn cael ei ddiweddaru ar gyfer adlweyrchu y tymor mae’n ei gynrychioli. Felly mewn blwyddyn fe fydd yna bedwar Adroddiad yn cael eu cynhyrchu.

O ran y data yn yr adroddiad cyntaf yma, mae yna nifer ohonynt yn newid a cael eu diweddaru yn fisol, er enghraifft;

• Swyddi Gweigion
• Data Budd-daliadau (Hefyd ar gael yn chwarterol)

Mae rhai o’r data eraill a gaiff eu cynnwys yn yr adroddiad yn cael ei cyhoeddi yn flynddol, er enghraifft;

• Ystadegau Poblogaeth
• Nifer o Fusnesau
• Cyrchfannau Disgyblion a data ‘NEETS’
• Data ar gyfer Addysg

Ym mhob Adroddiad Tymhorol fe fydd rhai o’r data a gaiff ei gynnwys yn newid, am y rheswm na fyddai pwynt ail-adrodd yr ru’n data dro ar ol tro (Er enghraifft y data a gyhoeddwyd yn flynyddol).  Yn yr achos hyn fe fyddai adborth a chynigion gen y sawl sydd yn darllen yr adroddiad yn hanfodol er mwyn gweld pa ddata i’w gynnwys yn y dyfodol. Fe fydd y data sy’n cael ei gyhoeddi’n fisol a chwarterol yn cael eu diweddaru ym mhob adroddiad.

Defnydd o’r Adroddiad

Wrth ymchwilio ar gyfer yr adroddiad yma fe wnes i ddarganfod nifer o ffeithiau diddorol a hefyd gweld tueddiadau na’r oeddwn wedi ei sylwi arnynt o’r blaen.  Er enghraifft wrth ymchwilio at y testun poblogaeth, fe wnes i edrych i weld pa ardaloedd lleol (LSOA) oedd ar poblogaethau uchaf ac isaf ym mhob sir. Er enghraifft ar gyfer Sir Gâr  mae’n debyg y byddai pobl yn disgwyl i ardaloedd fell Elli (yn Llanelli), neu Tre Caerfyrddin fod yr ardaloedd lleol gyda’r poblogaethau uchaf. Yn y diwedd Abergwili oedd yr ardal lleol ar boblogaeth uchaf, gyda 2,352 o bobl. Y rheswm am hyn yw bod ardaloedd trefol fell Elli yn cael ei rhannu mewn i nifer o ardaloedd bach; yn yr achos yma Elli 1 a Elli 2. Yn ogystal i Elli, mae gan Llanelli nifer eraill o Ardaloedd Lleol er enghraifft Glanymor 1, 2 a 3 a Bigyn 1, 2, 3 a 4. Yn achos Abergwili mae’r ardal yn un llawer mwy o ran maint ac hefyd yn cynnwys pentrefi fel Llanllawddog, Peniel, Rhydargaeau ac Abergwili.

Credaf fod yr adroddiad yma yn un defnyddiol iawn a’r gyfer cymharu a chyferbynnu ardaloedd ar hyd  De Orllewin Cymru, ar hyd nifer eang o themau fel Poblogaethau, Addysg, Economi a Chyrchfannau Disgyblion Blwyddyn 11.

Gobeithiaf y bydd yr adroddiadau tymhorol yma yn gwasanaethu fel modd o sicrhau y bod unigolion a sefydliadau â diddordeb mewn data a gwybodaeth. Man cychwynnol yn unig yw’r adroddiad yma er mwyn rhoi trosolwg o’r rhanbarth ar siroedd sydd yn rhan ohono. Y gobaith yw y bydd yr adroddiad yn sbarduno pobl i geisio darganfod mwy ar yr Arsyllfa Dysgu a Sgiliau ar gyfer De Orllewin Cymru, ac/neu, yn cysylltu ar tîm ar gyfer gwybodaeth a hefyd am gymorth.

Supporting Pembrokeshire INSET Days – The RLSO being used as a ‘practical tool’

One of the key factors for the team with regard to the RLSO is to expand its use and relevance amongst a wider audience. Therefore, following discussions with Rob Hillier from Pembrokeshire County Council, (and a member of the RLSO PMG), invited us to attend a Careers Education & Guidance Network INSET day. This session was held on the 8^th of July 2011, at the Neyland Community Learning Centre. The event was attended by around 15 people from various education establishments from around the county, and follows a session done in the previous month, within the county working with Geography teachers.

This event was designed to give attendees an insight into how careers services will be changing over the coming months and years, and to also present tools that might assist them in their line of work; an example being the Regional Learning & Skills Observatory.

Philip Drakeford, Director of Careers Wales West, began the session by giving a presentation on Future Ambitions – the future of Careers Wales and IAG in Pembrokeshire. The group were then given a demonstration of the RLSO by Dave Evans and Sion Roberts of the RLP Team.

We showed the attendees how the site could be used to assist in delivering careers advice. This ‘hands-on’ approach, providing actual examples is important for us, to demonstrate how for a variety of audiences, the RLSO is equally applicable.

One example we used within this particular session, was if they (Careers teachers/advisors) had a pupil come in noting that he/she wanted to work in construction; the RLSO could be of assistance. The Careers Advisor would then be able to find out which local areas in the region had vacancies in construction and also where construction businesses are located in the region to a local area level.  A link on the RLSO’s homepage to Careers Wales West’s ‘Courses in Wales’, would then allow the student and Careers Advisor to see what courses in construction are out there and where they are. Using all of these tools effectively and collaboratively can assist in giving a better and clearer picture for students looking to develop their careers.

Hopefully we demonstrated that the RLSO could become a powerful tool to teachers and careers advisors in assisting them to provide informative and efficient guidance to their students in terms of career pathways.

The feedback to the RLSO demonstration was very good, and many members were keen to see how it could be implemented in their line of work. An additional outcome to this session was thatRob Hillierwas able to solicit interest in developing/piloting new areas of working, specifically:

1. Assessing the needs base
2. Use of ICT/RLSO
3. Use of ICT/email system
4. Building capacity
5. Use of Learning Coach function

We now hope to support further expansion of this work with colleagues within Pembrokeshire, and use this as an opportunity to undertake similar work within other counties across the region.

NOTE: The RLSO can be accessed via the Partnes

Build your own village – A toolkit

This is a methodology for producing a ‘village of 100 people’ through utilisation of data from the Regional Learning and Skills Observatory (RLSO). This is a very effective tool for contextualising large volumes of people back to a manageable size, as most people can relate to 100 people in a room for example than the total population of a county which may well contain over 100 000 individuals.

Setting your population demographics

The first stage is to locate the total population of the area you wish to become ‘the village’ so if you wish to calculate Pembrokeshire as a village of 100 then record the total population of the area, this will come in useful later

Total Population of Pembrokeshire (TP) = 117 086

There is a reason why the village is of 100 people and it is quite simple but effective, it means that percentages can be used to represent villagers, therefore,

1 villager = 1%

This is ideal as a considerable amount of information is available on the RLSO is available to a percentage level, this includes percentages of population demographics such age of the population. Here is a practical example, below is the % of population that is male within Pembrokeshire, by rounding up we can come to this conclusion

 

49 Villagers are Male

Not all indicators have a percentage value, therefore, as a user you will have to perform the calculation manually; this is a basic calculation and is regularly used so the percentage value (X) is obtained by the count value (C) divided by the total population (TP) with the result times by 100  

X = (C/TP) x 100

This is relevant for statistics being produced for all of the villages population and mainly applies to the demography, age, ethnicity etc. When we are dealing with information that is aimed specifically to the working age population then we need to adjust our methodology accordingly. For example if we are to calculate the population of the village that is claiming a form of Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit (Y) the information is shown as a percentage of working age population. To convert this to a total population of the village we need to multiply it by 0.(Working Age Population)

Y = DWP Claimants % x 0.(Working Age Population of Village)

Y = 75 x 0.60

Y = 45 Villagers

There will be examples of some calculation within existing figures, for example data will show the DWP benefits claimants that are on Job Seekers Allowance so if there is a figure of 25% of DWP benefits claimants are claiming job seekers allowance and you wish to relate this back to a direct number of villagers (N) a bit of maths is required however you can fill in the blanks with your existing data

N = (DWP Claimants % x 0.WAP) x 0.(JSA)

N = (75 x 0.60) x 0.25

N = 45 x 0.25

N = 11.25

N = 11 Villagers  

These are the three main techniques required to populate the village, it is important to remember that for information that covers the entire village population then you can just utilise the percentage figure, for working age population and other population specific data you will need to perform an adjustment to ensure that it relates to the original population of 100.

If you require assistance in producing your own village or would like more ideas on the utilisation of Regional Learning and Skills Observatory please contact the RLP Researcher team, contact information is available on the website at www.rlpsww.org.uk