In the decade since 2011, the population has become increasingly well qualified, with many more qualified to level 3 and level 4 standard and far fewer with no qualifications or with basic entry level qualifications.

This has been strongly influenced by policy decisions that have been in place for many decades, encouraging post-16 education for all. As the population ages, the segment of the population for whom education was inaccessible has become smaller and the proportion with no formal qualifications has declined.

Aligned with the growing proportion of the population which is educated to level 3 or 4 or above, numbers employed in occupations which traditionally require lower skills levels and fewer qualifications have mostly declined.

16.2% of the population aged five years and over in Shropshire is a full-time student. 72.8% of these are school-aged children, the remainder are 16+ adults pursuing further or higher education or other full-time training.

There has been a slight decline in the number of 16+ students in Shropshire since the 2011 census and a significant decline in economically active full-time students. Difficulty accessing casual employment during the Covid-19 pandemic will have influenced this trend.

Please see the attached bulletins for more information:

• Census 2021 bulletin - students
• Census 2021 bulletin - qualifications

If you have any difficulties accessing or reading the pdf files, please contact the Business Development: Data, Analysis, and Intelligence Team at Shropshire Council using the email BusinessIntelligence@shropshire.gov.uk