Comparisons between the nations and regions© Centre for Economics 32and Business Research Ltd, 2011. It can be noted that, especially in London and theSouth East, regions typically associated with highervalue-add activities tend to have a higher share ofworkforce jobs than of workplace GVA, suggestingconstruction is a relatively low value added activityin these regions. . The converse is true for most of the other UKregions; the construction share of workplace GVA islower than the construction share of workforce jobs,which indicates that construction is a relativelyhigher value added activity in these regions. . The differing preferences across the regions andnations for buying domestic inputs from within theregion/country, as opposed to from the rest of theUK, are reflected in the differences between theratios of regional multipliers to the UK constructionmultiplier.. The Government has been a key source of finaldemand for construction, with the 2010 growthrecovery in several regions being driven by publicsector demand. . The public sector accounted for a growingproportion of projects (including through PFI andPPP arrangements) starting on site between 2007and 2010, rising from 35% to 47% of projects byvalue. (See figure below.) As private sectorworkload declined, Government has broughtplanned investments forward. This has been mostevident in the North of England and the Midlands,which have had greatest exposure to declines inprivate housing and industrial building activities.Publicly funded projects as a proportion of regional starts 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% North East North West Yorkshire & The Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West Wales Scotland Northern Ireland 2007 2010 Source: Glenigan

Comparisons between the nations and regions© Centre for Economics and Business Research Ltd, 201133. These patterns mirror quite closely the relativereliance of the wider economy in the regions/nations upon public sector employment (see below).. The following page provide a picture of changes inthe numbers of those entering and completingconstruction-related apprenticeships and trainingcourses in each of the English regions. The left-hand figure on page 34 shows Level 2 (L2) andLevel 3 (L3) 'enrolments' by apprenticeships andtraining courses. Page 34 shows L2 and L3 'starts'and 'achievements' for apprenticeships and trainingcourses combined.. This also reveals that enrolments in apprenticeshipshave fallen across the board, the only exceptionbeing L3 apprenticeships in London, whichincreased by 12%.. The picture is less clear-cut with regard to learnerresponsive training courses. For example, the EastMidlands saw a 36% increase in L2 enrolments,while the West Midlands saw a 14% increase in L3enrolments. The South East, on the other hand, sawthe largest falls in both L2 and L3 learner responsiveenrolments, by 18% and 16% respectively.. The right-hand figure on page 34 shows significantvariability in how the numbers of starts andachievements of apprenticeships and trainingcourses have changed between 2008/09 and2009/10. For instance, L2 starts and achievementsboth increased in the East Midlands (by 16% and18% respectively), while dropping in the North Eastand the South East.Public sector employment share of total regional employment 0% 10% 20% 30% North East North West Yorkshire & The Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West Wales Scotland Source: National Statistics