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This blog looks into the recent data from The Open University’s Annual Business Barometer 2021 Report about the growing skills gap this year, why this has occurred and what changes companies are starting to make.

What Is a skills gap and how is it growing?

A skills gap refers to the difference between the skills required to do a certain job and the skills a candidate actually possesses. For companies the skills gap creates problems within the business such as a loss of revenue, a lower quality of work and an inability to expand the business. There are several theories why a skills gap might exist however a few to mention are that fewer people are starting apprenticeships, technology advances such as artificial intelligence machine learning, and automation , there are a lot of newer roles that may have not been around 5 years ago which is making it difficult to find candidates to fill these roles. Candidates are also not aware of how to show the skills they have learnt on their CV or simply do not have them.

Based on the figures from the above report, 63% of organisation leaders are struggling with recruitment as candidates lack specialist skills and relevant experience. Almost a quarter of organisation leaders believe that finding staff with the right skillset remains the single biggest challenge facing organisations in the next five years. The lack of skills among candidates means that 28% of businesses have had to recruit at a lower level.

How are companies making changes to secure skilled workers?

The recent figures are a wake-up call to politicians and policy makers to implement processes to ensure that we have skilled people in place to support future economic growth. One of the major changes in the pattern of work during the past 18 months has been the shift away from the office towards remote working and 78% of organisations have transitioned some of their employees to work from home during the pandemic.

Which job sectors are currently in high demand for skilled candidates?

The sectors that are in high demand for skilled candidates are the following:

• Financial sector roles
• Directors and CEOs
• Secondary Teaching
• Software
• Graphic Designers
• Chefs
• Nurses
• Social Workers
• Mechanical Engineers

Studies of key employment sectors currently in high demand in the uk show that London is currently the highest area of demand for skills in the UK.

If you would like more information on the skills shortage and if you are looking for a new role but unsure on how you can show your skills and experience on your CV contact us today.

Marketing@busybeerecruitment.co.uk / 01353 880253