Abstract
We carry out an annual #SkillsSurvey of #engineering #employers in the #UK. In 2021 we focused on the current skills challenges employers are facing, identify barriers to building the supply of the needed skills and the skills that will be needed in the future.
Young people entering the #workforce is often a valuable pipeline of new skills, but many engineering employers have concerns. Just under half think that young people do not have the technical skills or soft skills they need (both 46%). While some are prepared to offer training to supplement these skills (45%), others do not have the resources and instead do not recruit from this pipeline (25%). As ever, there is a mismatch between the priorities employers stress for the #education system and their own activity within that system. Given the importance of getting new skills into the #industry, employers who lend their expertise have the opportunity to shape the future workforce.
Looking to the next five years, engineering employers do recognise particular areas of skills as important for their organisation’s growth. However, whether or not they currently have these skills within the workforce varies considerably. Design and #manufacturing are recognised as a key area by (36%) and most (64%) of those have the skills they think they need. However, #energy and environmental #sustainability is the second most cited area for growth (35%) and only half (51%) have the skills they need.
To solve this skills crisis there needs to be deeper engagement between #government, employers, and the education system to produce a talent pipeline that can sustain a thriving UK economy. Read our full survey at ww.theiet.org/skills.
