MORE than one in 20 workers and jobseekers in Cheshire East, as well as Cheshire West and Chester, have no qualifications whatsoever, new figures show.

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 200,290 people were eligible to work in Cheshire East in 2021.

Of them, 14,240 (7.1 per cent) had no qualifications whatsoever.

Meanwhile, 7.9 per cent had at least one GCSE or equivalent qualification, 13.9 per cent had five or more GCSEs at A* to C, 20.6 per cent had two A-levels or equivalent, and 44.4 per cent had a degree or higher education qualification.

Combining all these figures into a composite score means the Cheshire East workforce ranks fifth in the north west and 81st across England and Wales.

The figures show regional disparity, with some local areas lagging well behind others.

In Cheshire West, 177,225 people were eligible to work and of them, 12,525 (7.1 per cent) had no qualifications whatsoever.

Meanwhile, 8.6 per cent had at least one GCSE or equivalent qualification, 14.2 per cent had five or more GCSEs at A* to C, 21.5 per cent had two A-levels or equivalent, and 42.9 per cent had a degree or higher education qualification.

Combining all these figures into a composite score means the Cheshire workforce ranks eighth in the north west and 96th across England and Wales.

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 to both boost and broaden people’s skills and qualifications.

“This investment will raise incomes, boost growth and help to 'level up' the country."

The types of jobs people worked also tracked closely with qualification differences.

Further Census figures show 41,211 (21.4 per cent) of 192,488 workers in Cheshire East were in professional occupations.

Meanwhile, 34,739 (20.5 per cent) of 169,088 workers in Cheshire West and Chester were in professional occupations.

Across England and Wales, 5.6 million people (22.2 per cent) worked in a professional occupation.