Skill Shortages Creating an Emergency
After reading a lot about the skills gap, to be honest, it is difficult to not read it in my profession as it is everywhere, almost dominant in the People Development industry.
It is not just the construction industry suffering from lack of training and apprentices, but all industries have a worrying gap in skills, and it may not be what you think it is. There are more facets to the skill gap than it immediately appears.
A recent article highlighted that “more than half of employers fear they will not be able to recruit enough high-skilled workers” according to a survey by the CBI (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33478930). This is a worrying statistic for the whole of the economy.
One of the big gaps in the workplace is another concern – it is communication skills. Employers are concerned that they will not be able to find employees with appropriate level of communications to carry out the work required. As such a fundamental skill, there needs to be solution to this challenge.
It is reassuring that the challenges are being recognised. There are initiatives being put in place to solve the skill gaps. One of the initiatives that has been launched is innovative employer-led training and apprenticeships. In conjunction with this, initiatives are pushing for the introduction of business-led careers advice in primary school.
In my opinion, it is never too late to grow your own skill base within the staff that already exist in your organisation. It is time to embrace the challenges and start looking closely at the solutions that are right under your nose, your most valuable asset, the people in your business. Everyone has a unique skill set and talents that can be cultivated for the strength of your organisation; ultimately for people development and business development. Now is the time to grow your own.
To find out more about how you can develop the skills you need so that your business does not become affected by the skills gap, contact Anita for a no obligation chat. Alternatively, view the range of courses offered by Positive Intention.
