NORTHUMBERLAND'S workforce is ranked in the top 60 per cent of local authority areas for how many workers had qualifications.

The Resolution Foundation think tank said good qualifications are "an important driver of employability and pay growth" and called on policy makers to boost and broaden people's skill sets.

The latest Census figures from the Office for National Statistics show 148,605 people were eligible to work in Northumberland in 2021.

Of them, 11,140 (7.5 per cent) had no qualifications.

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Meanwhile, 9.3 per cent had at least one GCSE or equivalent qualification, 15.8 per cent had five or more GCSEs at A* to C to levels nine to four, 23.4 per cent had two A-levels or equivalent, and 36.7 per cent had a degree or higher education qualification.

Combining all these figures into a composite score means the Northumberland workforce ranks fourth in the North East and 165th across England and Wales, which puts it in the top 60 per cent of areas.

Further Census figures show 24,722 (17.6 per cent) of 140,777 workers in Northumberland were in professional occupations.

Hannah Slaughter, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: "Qualifications and training are an important driver of employability and pay growth. The stark qualifications divide uncovered by the census will have worsened already damaging pay and income gaps between places across Britain.

"Policy makers and firms need to do far more both boost and broaden people’s skills and qualifications. This investment will raise incomes, boost growth and help to 'level up' the country."