Businesses ‘face lack of highly-skilled workers’
MORE than half of Scottish businesses lack confidence in being able to find highskilled workers needed in the future, according to new research.
The CBI/Pearson education and skills survey found more than three-quarters of Scottish firms (77%) expect to increase their number of high-skill roles in the coming years.
Demand, though, appears set to outstrip supply as 59% lacked confidence in their ability to fill these roles.
Respondents to the UK-wide survey of 344 companies, including 120 firms in Scotland, found almost a third (30%) plan to reduce graduate recruitment in response to the apprenticeship levy.
The CBI said firms in Scotland pay the UK-wide levy but cannot at present access funding from it to support training programmes.
The study also uncovered concerns around careers advice, with about nine in 10 Scottish firms (91%) believing the existing service is “not good enough” – higher than the UK figure of 84%.
CBI Scotland director Hugh Aitken said Scottish business and government needed to focus attention on education and skills as drivers of productivity.
He said: “It’s encouraging to see that so many Scottish firms plan to hire into highly-skilled roles but the fact both this survey and the CBI’s recent Pursuing Prosperity report shows that this isn’t being matched by a supply of talent is something we need to address urgently.
“With many firms identifying a person’s attitude as the most important factor when recruiting school and college leavers, we need a dual focus on academic achievement and the wider behaviours young people need to succeed.
“Improving attainment, creating more high-quality vocational options for young people and further increasing business interaction with the education system must be top priorities.
“We also need to ensure that the post-Brexit immigration system allows businesses in Scotland access to the skills and labour they need to grow.”
Rod Bristow, Pearson’s president, UK and core, said: “Scotland’s education system needs to better meet the needs of Scottish business.”