UK Skills Shortage: the low down


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For over a year, the UK job market has been experiencing a significant and noticeable candidate skills shortage, with a long-term lack of UK-based skills workers coming through.

This has been further exacerbated with Brexit and the disruption and uncertainty that this has brought.

On one side, the job market situation can seem very positive with the REC recently stating: “The UK jobs market is continuing to perform beyond expectations as job creation remains strong and employment is at a record high.”

Indeed, the current UK employment figures from the ONS, show that the number of people in employment is at an all-time high (75.1%) since records began in 1971. However, with Brexit negotiations in progress, people are more reluctant to move jobs, while EU workers both living in the UK or planning to, were left with uncertainty over their futures here too, leading to a decrease in immigration. With higher-skilled migration playing such a key role in reducing the impact of the skills gap, this is a concern.

With such reluctance for candidates to change jobs, employers are finding it harder to attract the talent they are looking for. As a result, the jobs market is seeing a significant rise in starting salaries, as businesses battle to fill their vacancies, in order to further stimulate their growth. For example, a recent survey of 400 UK businesses by the Open University, showed that as many as 56% were forced to increase their salary to get the skills they needed.

In such a market, employers are having to veer away from their ideal. As a short-term fix, many are resorting to hiring more temporary staff to plug the gap. There is also now more than ever, the need as an employer, to be far more open and flexible as to your requirements, with the ideal candidates in short supply.

Finally, how do we address the skills gap? It has been widely discussed on how to address the issue of a such a skills imbalance with areas such as the NHS & engineering just not getting the numbers of up-skilled professionals required, through our education system. Improving the employability of our younger generations is paramount and many are calling for radical reform in this area.

Prospect Personnel are honest & driven Banbury-based recruitment experts. We deal with Full & Part-time, permanent & temporary jobs in Banbury & surrounding areas. We are always eager to understand clients and candidates inside out, in order to deliver a successful service to all.

Please give us a call on 01295 817669 to see how we can help you!