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Cumbria Employer Skills Survey 2025

Cumbria Chamber of Commerce are working with Skills England and local authorities to improve our understanding of how skills, training and recruitment is affecting employers. Please complete the survey below to contribute your views on these important issues, and there is also the opportunity to participate in a focus group to discuss further. Responses will also feed into the forthcoming refresh of the Cumbria Local Skills Improvement Plan, for which the Chamber is the designated Employer Representative Body.



The survey will take between 10 and 15 minutes to complete.
About You
1.What is the name of your business? (Optional)
2.Where in Cumbria are you based?
3.How many employees does the business have? Firstly, in Cumbria and secondly, in total (i.e if the business has other branches elsewhere in the country)
0-10
11-249
250+
In Cumbria
In Total
4.What is your business activity?
5.Where is your business HQ located?
Recruitment
6.Have you recruited the following to your business in the last 12 months (whether or not they are still employed by you)?
7.Does your business currently have any job vacancies?
8.How many vacancies are you currently trying to fill?
9.Are you experiencing difficulties filling these vacancies?
10.What difficulties do you have with filling vacancies?
11.Thinking now about all occupations in which you have hard-to-fill vacancies, are hard-to-fill vacancies causing any of the following?
Skills and Training
12.Which skills have you found difficult obtaining from applicants?
13.Do you have issues with any basic/functional skills such as Maths, English, basic IT? Please tick all that apply
14.Would you consider all of your staff proficient at their job?
15.What are the main causes for this?
16.What skills do you believe need improving among your workforce?
In the next 12 months
In the next 1-3 years
Computer literacy/basic IT skills
Basic numerical skills and understanding
Specialist skills/knowledge needed to perform the job to an appropriate standard
Team working
Ability to manage own time/prioritise tasks
Managing their own feels/handling others
17.Have you arranged or funded any form of training or development over the past 12 months?
18.If no, what are the reasons for this?
19.Which of the following training types have you arranged/funded?
20.Are you aware of Skills Bootcamps?
Apprenticeships
21.Do you employ apprentices?
22.If not, why not? Please tick all that apply
23.What age group of apprentices have you employed?
24.How easy do you find recruiting apprentices?
25.How much do you pay your apprentices?
26.Are you an apprenticeship levy payer?
27.Do you struggle to retain apprentices during their training?
28.Do you struggle to retain apprentices after they complete their apprenticeships?
Other
29.Have you considered hiring or have you already hired employees with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities?
30.Have you considered hiring or have you already hired employees who have previous criminal convictions?
31.Are you using or would you like any more information on any of the following (you will need to provide contact details on the next question if you request more information)
Already using
Not using but have enough information
Would like more information
Not interested
Apprenticeships
Degree level apprenticeships
Foundation apprenticeships
Apprenticeship levy sharing
Shared apprenticeships/flexi-job agency*
Multiply
Adult learning offer
Skills Bootcamps
Careers Hub & engagement with schools
DWP programmes e.g. Restart
Recruitment support through Jobcentre Plus
Armed Forces Covenant and recruitment support (forces leavers, veterans, family)
Disability Confident and support to employ people with disabilities
Employing people leaving prison /prisoners on day release (ROTL)
Homelesness Covenant
Care Leavers Covenant
Supported internships
Work experience placements
T Levels
T Level placements
Help with navigating the skills offer
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce
Cumbria Business Growth Hub
* A Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Agency is a form of shared apprenticeship where the Agency is responsible for employing and paying the apprentice, and the employer hosts the apprentice on a placement for a period of time. More information can be found via this link: Find the right apprenticeship
32.Please provide contact details if you have requested more information above
33.Would you be interested in participating in a focus group discussion about any of the points raised in this survey? If so please leave your email address (optional)