| Project Supervisor | Michel Serafinelli |
| Institution & Department | King’s College London – Economics at King’s Business School |
| Research Area | RA 2: Business Analytics, Management, and Applied Economics |
| Project Start Date | End of June 2026 – flexible start date offered. |
| Project Duration | 3 months |
| Application Deadline | 4th June 2026 |
| Working Pattern | Part-time (2.5 days per week over 6 months) |
| Working Arrangements | Hybrid |
| Flexibility offered. For instance, we could meet in-person once a week, or once every two weeks. | |
| How to Apply | View Guidance Here |
Project Description
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The British coal industry experienced a rapid dissolution after March ’85 (the end of the miners’ strike). The concentration of the coal industry in specific areas has made the decline in coal employment especially difficult for places that previously relied heavily on this industry for jobs. Although it is evident that many local labour markets (LLMs) suffered greatly from the decline of coal employment, what is known about the high-profile areas of post-coal decay doesn’t necessarily reflect the situation in other areas. And if there are instances of significant employment growth, an important and not thoroughly researched query is identifying the characteristics of these areas.
Motivated by this context, we want to answer the following questions:
• What are the labour market consequences of coal phaseout for LLMs in Great Britain? (As the last coal mine in Northern Ireland was closed in 1968, our evidence pertains to England, Scotland and Wales).
• Are there sizable differences in total employment growth across the affected LLMs?
• And if there is spatial heterogeneity, what makes some LLMs more likely to experience high-employment growth? In particular, how is the probability of employment recovery influenced by the initial level of human capital possessed by residents?
So far, we have provided a preliminary descriptive account of the differences in employment growth across space after 1985. Our evidence indicates that total employment recovered in many instances between 1985 and 2023, even exceeding levels from 1984, despite the decline in coal jobs. Altogether, 57% of affected LLMs experienced positive employment growth; 35% experienced growth faster than the mean for Great Britain. This evidence indicates that many affected LLMs adapted to the negative impact of the coal phaseout.
During the period of the internship, we will gather additional data and substantially broaden the scope of the preliminary analysis.
Our findings will deliver critical insights into the key drivers of growth in affected areas, providing valuable information for government departments such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), the Department for Education (DfE), and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Internship Details
The student will help in the completion of the dataset, by merging several new variables from different sources of data. They will also help with the regression analysis of the data using Stata/R, writing of a first draft, preparation of presentation slides.
There will also be an opportunity to participate in a project workshop will be held at KCL with non-academic stakeholders to disseminate the project outcomes. The workshop’s main goal is to encourage the exchange of knowledge and enhance networking, among participants from academia and policymaking.
We will extend invitations to officials of UK government and local authorities in the 54 affected areas, and journalists working on “levelling-up”, “hitting net-zero” and “just transition” issues. Given that the workshop pertains to current and high-profile aspects of these issues (All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coalfield Communities, 2023), we are optimistic it can generate significant interest, making it an effective means of disseminating this research. Furthermore, the workshop will serve as a foundation for shaping the future research agenda.
We will meet officials at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Department for Education (DfE), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), officials of local authorities in the 54 affected areas, business’ associations, and journalists.
We will write up a less technical version of our results to be distributed outside of the academic community (The Conversation), focusing on the implications for labour, regional and climate policy.
Anticipated Benefits for the Student
- Working with a larger team of researchers – The project is coauthored with Daniela Sonedda (Insubria, visiting fellow at Essex). Zhexin Feng (KCL post-doc) may also get involved (TBC).
- Practice in academic writing, training in research methods
- Networking and dissemination – We will present at key conferences in the field, attended by leading experts, which represent a great opportunity to disseminate findings.
- Potential for publication – We are open to discuss co-authorship. Target journals for publication: American Economic Review Insights, Review of Economics and Statistics/Economic Journal (short paper); Journal of Urban Economics Insights
Skills, Experience and Knowledge Requirements
Please discuss with Project Supervisor.