Edge’s thirteenth Skills Shortage Bulletin highlights that the UK continues to face a shortage of skills in essential roles, an issue only compounded by growing barriers to skills development. While the bulletin does not always make light reading, it is a necessary tool for understanding the scope of the issue. By compiling qualitative and quantitative evidence, we hope the latest edition will enable policymakers to make better-informed decisions and develop targeted interventions as we unpick the multiple challenges currently affecting the labour market.
The Open University’s annual Business Barometer report finds that nearly three-quarters (73%) of UK organisations are currently experiencing skills shortages. This might not come as a surprise but it does confirm the expected state of play.
To tackle this and other related trends, the Open University has been working with the John Lewis Partnership to provide Higher Education to care leavers, diversifying the company’s workforce and accessing hidden talent pools. While employers can learn from this initiative, many – including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – lack the resources to address the skills gap in this way. This is an issue that will need addressing in future skills strategies.
