Page 38 - Regional Employment & Skills Plan 2019

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Challenges
The main challenges reported by businesses operating within the Advanced Materials, Manufacturing and Energy sectors are; making a profit (53%), securing work (41%) and recruitment (35%). These are consistent with findings gathered through consultation in 2018. Similarly to the Construction sector it is understandable that securing work and making a profit would be main challenges for the majority of businesses as this is undoubtedly a pre-cursor and enabler of developing staff (32%) and training (19%) which were also reported as challenges.
The Workforce
The most recent statistics depict that the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing sector is categorised by an ageing population with the majority of its male workforce (79.1%) being aged between 45 and 54. A similar trend is exhibited in the Energy sector.
70% of respondents corroborated this secondary evidence, stating that significantly more males are employed within their workforce than females.
These trends can be largely attributed to the perception of STEM related industries by females of all ages but especially those younger individuals. A survey carried out by ‘Women in Manufacturing’ (WiM) found that almost 75% of women would not consider manufacturing careers as a viable option which is concerning, especially as further research suggests that having women employed in these roles not only bridges the gender gap but is also of benefit to the business’ profitability. For every 10% increase in gender diversity, gross profits in turn increase by 3.5%.38
Work-readiness
Work-readiness of new entrants is considered an issue for 53% of the businesses surveyed. The majority reported that the desired level of work experience (69%) and skills (49%) are missing in new entrants with entrants having poor attitudes and motivation being reported by 27%.
It is apparent that there is a desire from employers to see education leavers entering their industry to have a greater awareness of the world of work. There is a requirement therefore to ensure that young learners are offered appropriate work experience which provides them with the desired level of practical skills coupled with the appropriate attitudes to make a positive contribution to the industry. In addition and more importantly it is essential due to the increased ‘danger factor’ within this industry, the competence and quality of entrants is therefore absolutely imperative to protect their safety and the safety of their colleagues.
Skills Challenges
48% of respondents are experiencing skills challenges presently. The majority of these skills challenges are present at a skilled trade level (54%), process, plant and machine operative level (36%) and associate professionals and technical occupations (18%).
When asked to define these skills challenges, respondents overwhelmingly (74%) indicated that ‘specialist skills and knowledge needed to perform the role’ were lacking in new entrants. This was followed by ‘problem solving’ (19%) and ‘communication skills’ (16%).
An analysis of the top hard and soft skills required by employers within the sector recruiting between January 2018 -2019 corroborate these findings;
38 https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/gender-gap-manufacturing-careers/63766/ 39 RLSP analysis of EMSI Job Posting Analytics
Regional Employment & Skills Plan South West & Mid Wales
Sector Profiles