Digitalisation, an ageing workforce, and negative industry perception all contribute to the growing Manufacturing skills shortage. Here’s one thing you can do to close the gap…
For any organisation, futureproofing should always be a priority. But, for organisations and divisions within the Manufacturing sector, several factors have served to make that much more difficult.
As the existing skills gap continues to widen, here at Aspion we’ve found ourselves having more and more conversations with our client partners about what they can do about it. And, the good news is, there’s a certain solution that organisations like yours can focus on internally, which has a proven success rate!
Let’s walk you through everything we know:
- Why is there a Manufacturing skills shortage?
- How to close the Manufacturing skills shortage
- Where do I start?
Why is there a Manufacturing skills shortage?
Manufacturing organisations and divisions up and down the UK are struggling to fill their own skills gaps, creating the widespread problem we have today. In fact, research carried out by Make UK found that more than a third (36%) of Manufacturing vacancies are classed as hard-to-fill.
But how has it got to this point? We’ve pulled together all the stats and facts you need to see:
- Ageing workforce: According to EngineeringUK, more than 50% of the UK’s Manufacturing workforce is over the age of 40, including many approaching retirement age.
- Lack of interest: Far fewer students are choosing Manufacturing-related subjects in recent years, according to the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
- Negative perception: The Manufacturing Technologies Association found that many young people have an outdated, negative perception of Manufacturing careers.
- Educational gaps: According to the Confederation of British Industry, technical and vocational education is in sharp decline in the UK.
- Digitalisation: The Manufacturing industry is rapidly evolving with the introduction of automation, robotics, and digital technologies. Unfortunately, the workforce is struggling to keep pace.
- Brexit: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported a decline in the number of EU nationals working in UK Manufacturing following Brexit.
Clearly, the sector is in a difficult spot. But there is something you can do to help protect your organisation – now and in the long run!
How to close the Manufacturing skills shortage
It’s a talent-short market. This means smaller talent pools, fewer candidates with the right skillsets, and more competition. That’s why improving diversity is essential.
You see, it’s not just that the workforce is ageing, or unable to keep pace with the rapid rate of digitalisation. The fact is that the sector is also drastically lacking in diversity. A big push to diversify the professionals in your organisation and the talent pool available to you will go a long way in helping you bridge the Manufacturing skills gap.
As it stands, only 26% of the Manufacturing workforce are female, and 13% are from ethnic minority backgrounds. (Made Smarter)
And it’s not just a short-term fix. Putting time and effort into your diversity initiatives will help to safeguard Manufacturing organisations like yours moving forwards. After all, the skills shortage shows no signs of righting itself any time soon.
Bonus: benefits of diversity for your business
The benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace culture include:
- Inclusive companies are 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders.
- Sales revenue increases 15-fold among companies with high racial diversity.
- Inclusive teams make better business decisions twice as fast.
- Diverse companies re 1.8 times more likely to capture new markets.
Want more information? Get in touch today!
Where do I start?
When it comes to diversifying a traditionally white and male-dominated workforce, it can seem like a daunting task at first. So, it’s natural to wonder about the best place to start.
From our experience, it really is as simple as starting at the very beginning!
Attracting, onboarding, and nurturing diverse talent will help you build a stronger team from the ground up. And, you’ll be happy to hear, that that’s one of the things that we do best!
We are Aspion Search, a Search & Selection recruitment firm specialising in Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Shipping, Sales, IT Sales, and Metals across multiple sectors across the UK and Europe.
Find out more about our truly inclusive recruitment process and our value-added approach – let’s arrange a Teams call:
Call us: 0151 209 2050
Email us: info@aspion.co.uk
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