The results of the UK Employer Skills Survey 2015 were recently published, shedding light on the extent of the skills gap the UK is currently facing – a quarter of vacancies are unfilled due to a shortage of people with the required skills.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) survey reveals how significant the nation’s skills gap is, which is surprising given the still problematic levels of unemployment in the UK. Over 90,000 employers were surveyed, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem.
While the skills gap is particularly pertinent in specialist areas including the gas and water, electricity and construction industries (where the figure rises to a third of all vacancies left unfilled), employers also reported that they struggled to find people with basic work ready skills like time management and effective prioritising. English and maths skills are also an issue, with a quarter of applicants’ skills deemed below standard. Two thirds of employers said this had a negative financial impact on their business.
Worryingly, the number of jobs left vacant due to a lack of qualified people has more than doubled in the last four years, from 91,000 in 2011 to 209,000 in 2015. However, it’s worth noting that there was a 42% rise in job opportunities last year. While signs of improved job prospects is positive, it’s clear that educating and upskilling the UK’s workforce hasn’t been prioritised as it should.
Vocational education, available to learners of any age, is essential to addressing and filling the skills gap. Employability qualifications like those offered by our partnership, REED NCFE, prepare learners not only for applying for jobs, but also for life in the workplace. They hone vital skills including time management and effective workload prioritising, meaning learners have transferable skills essential to any workplace.
It’s been argued that the government’s ambitious Apprenticeship target could have a negative impact, not only on public sector employment but also on staff training and upskilling. Neil Carberry, Director for Employment and Skills Policy at the CBI, said “Businesses are committed to training and developing their staff with an increased amount of time and money invested, but the Apprenticeship Levy may act as a disincentive by increasing the cost of taking on apprentices. With the demand for skills on the rise, if the levy is going to work it must have the flexibility for firms to continue to train according to business and industry need.”
Stewart Segal, Chief Executive of AELP, has called on the government to prioritise the upskilling of the UK’s workforce to ensure the skills requirements of modern businesses are met, but he believes that Apprenticeships will “have a major impact” on filling the skills gap, rather than posing more problems.
Claudia Harris, Chief Executive of the Careers and Enterprise Company, commented: “We know already that 60% of businesses believe school leavers lack the skills to succeed in work. So, with the skills shortage persisting and youth unemployment continually above the national average, it is clear that more can be done to equip young people with the skills businesses need before they leave education. Simplifying the process for education providers and businesses to work together is vital to bridging this gap.”
The new Apprenticeship Trailblazer standards will attempt to tackle the disconnect between education and employment, giving employers control over the standards to ensure the future workforce has the skills businesses require.
Access to lifelong learning is also crucial to addressing the skills gap. As the UKCES report commented: “developing the skills of the existing workforce to take advantage of new technology and digitisation will be critical if the UK is to finally close the productivity gap.” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn recently highlighted the importance of this in relation to the skills gap.
What do you think? Are you surprised by the results of the survey? What do you think needs to be done to address the skills gap?
