The rapid advancement in technology is changing the way the world operates. In today’s world of constant digital transformation, more jobs are being created than can be filled and the UK is experiencing a skills gap that will require 1 million workers by 2020.
As the UK carves out a new economic future in preparation to leave the EU, it is critical for businesses to ensure that employees have the right skills to compete globally, helping to foster growth and prosperity for the UK economy. There are no short term fixes, however regions around the UK can plug the skills gap at local level by finding new ways of engaging with prospective talent and drive businesses to develop the skills they need to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
For Bristol to remain competitive and continue to be a world leading economy, businesses must have access to talent with the right skills that will drive growth in the region. Looking at short, mid and long-term strategies can help to address the skills gap and utilize all available talent.
1. Short term.
Returners and career changers: this pool has largely remained untapped. A structured set of training activities or specific returners programmes can refresh skills whilst valuable experiences can help to innovate for the future with fresh eyes. Flexibility on skills: it’s not always necessary to have 100% of the skills required to fill a role. Identifying talent that fits 80% of the job role and is willing to develop their skills further, should not be overlooked. Female Talent: With only 19% of the tech workforce currently being female, encouraging more women into the tech sector could significantly alleviate the current talent shortage. Collaborating with organisations that have specific access to the female talent pool will also address the challenges that businesses face when trying to attract diversity into the workplace.
2. Medium term
Widen the Talent Pool: Talent should be targeted from a wider spectrum of disciplines. Graduates who have non-tech related degrees have the mindset to work in technology roles. Designing business models that allow for effective on the job training, through to creating reward structures and cultures will also help to retain key talent, a must when an investment of this kind is being made. Change Policies: Monitor recruitment processes closely and work efficiently with organisations. If your in house recruitment team is having difficulty sourcing candidates, change policies so that you are able to bring in expertise in the field to help address your challenges and attract candidates from a wider talent pool that includes diverse candidates.
3. Long term
Invest in Talent: Apprenticeship schemes add real value to a business, having positive impact on productivity and performance. Apprentices, who may not have the specific skillset from the offset, may have the generic IT skills and a good understanding of what is going on in the industry. By learning cutting edge stuff at University and bringing it back to business will help apprentices bring in new ideas, encouraging creativity and innovation, helping the business to stay ahead in competitive times.
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