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Dorset

Local Skills Improvement Plan 2026-2029 · set by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry

7
Priority sectors
30
Occupations in demand
65
Skills named
10
Funding streams

Dorset's second employer-led LSIP (led by Dorset Chamber, covering Dorset Council and BCP Council) identifies six priority sectors and, for the first time, aligns them to the UK Government's Modern Industrial Strategy (IS8). Four priority sectors map to national IS8 priorities (Advanced Manufacturing/Engineering including Defence and Marine; Digital Technology and Creative; Financial Services and Professional and Business Services; Clean Energy as emerging), supported by two foundational enabling sectors (Construction; Health and Care).

What employers here asked for

  • Construction
  • Health and Care

National growth sectors

Designated by government, not chosen locally.

  • Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, including Defence and Marine
  • Digital Technology and Creative Industries
  • Financial Services and Professional and Business Services
  • Clean Energy
  • Life Sciences

Occupations in demand

A sample: 16 of the 30 occupations the plan names.

  1. 01Vehicle, Electric Vehicle, Aircraft Technicians
  2. 02Production operatives and assemblers
  3. 03Multi-skilled maintenance engineers
  4. 04CNC machinists and programmers
  5. 05Quality inspectors and engineers
  6. 06Electronics engineers
  7. 07Welders and fabricators
  8. 08Engineers of all disciplines
  9. 09Site manager
  10. 10Quantity surveyor
  11. 11Retrofit assessors/co-ordinators (PAS 2035)
  12. 12Heat-pump and solar installers
  13. 13Software developers
  14. 14Systems engineers
  15. 15IT support specialists
  16. 16Network engineers

Jobs advertised right now

Skills named in the plan

A sample: 12 of the 65 skills the plan names, grouped by kind.

Technical

  • Core technical and trade skills for day-to-day production
  • Foundational engineering skills, 'hand skills' and hands-on/applied experience
  • Automation, robotics, additive manufacturing, digital design and digital manufacturing systems
  • Mechatronics, advanced materials (composites), precision engineering, integrated systems engineering
  • Green/low-carbon manufacturing skills: lightweighting, electrification, energy-efficient/low-carbon production, circular economy and recycling
  • Skilled construction trades (carpentry/joinery, bricklaying, plastering, roofing, welding, groundworks, plant, steel fixing, electricians, plumbing/heating)
  • Civils/coastal engineering: highways maintenance, drainage, structures, earthworks, marine works, flood/coastal engineering
  • Construction technical and professional: site management, quantity surveying, estimating/commercial, planners, clerk of works, BIM/Digital Twins, CDM/H&S compliance
  • Green construction & retrofit: retrofit assessors/co-ordinators (PAS 2035), heat-pump and solar installers, low-carbon electricians, air-tightness, MMC, EV charge points

Digital

  • Digital literacy for 3D design/modelling, data-led decision making, AI and IoT (C languages, Java)
  • AI and automation adoption/use
  • Digital skills to use new technology and data collection/reporting