Research interests

Peter currently specialises in local labour market skills and their intersection with productivity and inclusive growth. Peter has been a local labour market and skills researcher his whole career and has directed, managed and delivered over 100 research projects over the learning and skills agenda: schools, FE, HE, alternative provision, pupils and young people with SEND, apprenticeships, green skills, digital skills, NEET, financial and pastoral support, employer co-funding, employability and transferable skills.

Academic profile

Peter Dickinson joined IER as a Senior Research Fellow in 2017. Prior to this Peter worked as a researcher in a number of for profit and not for profit organisations working with a range of supra national, national, subregional, local government and third sector organisations.

Current projects

Peter is currently working on a number of projects:

• The role and impact of employment charters and procurement by subnational authorities to achieve good work standards; with Dr Emily Erickson and Dr Katharina Sarter, Funded by the University of Warwick; Project duration: October 2022 - June 2023
• HE bridges 5.0 - Bridging risks to an inclusive digital and green future by enhancing workforce skills for industry 5.0, with Chris Warhurst and Jeisson Cardenas-Rubio, Funder: European Commission, Project Duration: June 2022 - May 2026

• Maximising productivity through managing new technology, with Dr Emily Erickson, Funded by WMCA, Project duration: September 2022 - May 2023

• Labour market information report; Funded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority; with Chris Warhurst, Terence Hogarth and Jeisson Cardenas-Rubio; Project Duration: March 2022 - March 2023

• Midlands Engine Mental Health and Productivity PilotLink opens in a new window. Funded by the Midlands Engine. Project Start Date: January 2020 - Project End Date: September 2023
• Responding to Metropolitan Combined Authorities skills and employment needs post Covid - ReWAGE subgroup; Funded by the Warwick University’s Research & Impact Services; Project duration: July 2021 - June 2022
• Future-proofing apprenticeships. Funded by the Co-op Group. Project Start Date: December 2019 - Project End Date: January 2021

All projects

Selected publications

• Dickinson, P., Cardenas-Rubio, J., and Warhurst, C. (2022). Green Jobs and the Green Economy in York. IER, Coventry.
• Dickinson, P. and Hogarth, T. (2021) The Benefits of Hindsight: Assessing the impact of apprenticeship reforms on employer behaviour. Final report prepared for Edge Foundation and Gatsby Foundation. Executive Summary and Short report.
• Henry N., Barker V., Sissons P., Broughton K., Dickinson P., Lazell J. and Angus T. (2021) Mind the Understanding Gap: The Value of Creative Freelancers. Final report.
• Dickinson, P., Hogarth, T. and Cardenas Rubio, J. (2020). How Employers Set Pay For Apprentices. Low Pay Commission. Coventry: University of Warwick
• Dickinson, P. (2020) Future Proofing Apprenticeships. Manchester: Co-op and Coventry: Warwick Institute for Employment Research.
• Luchinskaya, D. and Dickinson, P. (2019). ‘Virtuous’ and ‘Vicious’ Circles? Adults’ Participation in Different Types of Training in the UK and Its Association with Wages. Social Inclusion 2019, Volume 7, Issue 3, Pages 177–201. DOI: 10.17645/si.v7i3.2039
• Dickinson, P. (2019) Choices students make between different post-18 education routes. London: Department for Education
• Luchinskaya, D. and Dickinson, P. (2019). The adult skills gap: is falling investment in UK adults stalling social mobility? London: Social Mobility Commission (Social Mobility Commission Report).
• Skills Advisory Panels Feasibility Study, Forthcoming. Department for Education
• Work experience and vocational/technical provision for young people on SEN support, December 2018. Department for Education
• Report of the West Midlands Productivity and Skills Commission, August 2018. West Midlands Combined Authority Productivity & Skills Commission
• The impact of the apprenticeship levy, June 2017. Association of Employment and Learning Providers
• Evaluation of the Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund: Interim Report, March 2017. HEFCE
• Evaluation of STRIVE employment support for homeless people, 2015. DCLG
• Evaluation of Getting Ahead: the Symud Ymlaen/Moving Forward project —Interim Report, December 2014. Big Lottery Fund

• Research on Understanding Localised Policy Interventions in Business Support and Skills, 2013. BIS Research Paper No. 156, BIS.

• International Evidence Review on Co-funding for Training, 2013. BIS Research Paper No. 116, BIS.

• Evaluation of the European Social Fund Innovation, Transnational and Mainstreaming projects, 2012. DWP Research Report No. 817, DWP.

All publications

All conference presentations