Attention all job seekers! If you’re looking to work in the construction or manufacturing industry, you might be facing some serious challenges. According to a recent report by the British Chambers of Commerce, a whopping 78% of businesses in these sectors are struggling to find new employees. That’s a huge number and it’s causing major headaches for employers.
The situation is especially dire in the construction sector, where 83% of businesses are struggling to recruit new workers. Production and manufacturing, logistics, and hospitality are also facing significant challenges, with 79% of employers reporting difficulties.
To make matters worse, rising business costs are making it even harder for companies to invest in their workforce. In fact, less than a third of employers have increased their investment in the last three months. That’s not good news for job seekers who are hoping to find work in these industries.
So what’s the solution? The British Chambers of Commerce is calling for urgent reform of the Shortage Occupations List (SOL) so that more people and job roles are covered. The SOL is a list of roles deemed by the UK government to be in short supply within the labour market, and these roles are afforded more relaxed eligibility criteria for sponsored work visa applications.
The BCC has written to the government outlining a three-point plan on how to solve this problem. First, businesses must be encouraged to find new ways of unlocking pools of talent by investing more in training their workforce, adopting more flexible working practices, and expanding the use of apprenticeships. Second, the government must help employers invest in training by reducing the upfront costs on business and providing training-related tax breaks. And third, the SOL must be reformed to allow sectors facing urgent demand for skills to get what they need.
This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed urgently. There are currently 1.3 million unfilled jobs in the UK, and fewer people in the workforce than before the pandemic. That’s holding back productivity and growth, and putting livelihoods at risk.
If you’re a job seeker, keep an eye on this situation and be prepared to be patient. And if you’re an employer, now is the time to start investing in your workforce and finding new ways to attract talent. Let’s work together to solve this problem and get back to growth!