The Shropshire labour force is comparatively well skilled, with a higher proportion holding at least an NVQ level 3 qualification (60.8% compared with 57.2% in the West Midlands) and fewer holding no qualifications at all (4.8% compared with 7.8%). More employed in SOC1-3 professions (managers and senior officials, professional occupations and associate professional and technical occupations) and fewer are employed as process plant and machine operatives, or in elementary occupations.

Despite high and rising qualification levels skills aren't always aligned to the needs of businesses, as reflected in skills shortage data, which suggests 13% of Shropshire businesses have either skills gaps within their existing workforce, skills shortage vacancies or both (Employer Skills Survey, 2019).