
Employment gaps and the UK economy
Thriving businesses are a lifeline for Britain’s economy and are driving down unemployment, but if the supply of skilled workers isn’t up to scratch, many businesses face the choice of moving operations elsewhere or risking their own survival. This impacts not only the overall employment statistics, but also the UK’s economic activity levels. With fewer businesses in the UK, and those that are operating having a sub-par workforce, the UK will find it hard to compete with other countries and could lose valuable contracts that are critical to the health of the UK economy.Creating the paths to success
The UK has the potential to close the current skills gap. To achieve this, however, the UK Government must work with local councils, businesses, schools and colleges to invest in schemes that motivate the workforce and provide opportunities to build these much needed skills. Put simply, it is a balance of finding jobs to match skills and developing skills to fill jobs. Most important is the need to train young people in the right careers. Schools and colleges need to begin this process by encouraging young people to specialise in subjects where there is a direct correlation to the lack of skills in the job market, for example, engineering and science. The Government also needs to incentivise businesses – whether through tax incentives or other financial support – to offer apprenticeship schemes and work placements that give people the chance to use their skills.Taking responsibility
There are many advantages to be had by closing the skills gap. Young people will see more job openings, will have more transferable skills, and are more likely to find a career for life. For businesses, they will often gain loyal employees who are specifically trained to meet their needs. On a wider scale, the UK will see a significant rise in the number of people in jobs and, crucially, businesses won’t have unfilled vacancies because of a lack of potential employees. This will result in more businesses being attracted to the UK and, ultimately, a more prosperous and buoyant economy. Askar Sheibani is Comtek CEO & Entrepreneurship Champion for Wales.Share this story