Page 47 - Carmarthenshire Skills Report 2024

Industry
Industry need to think differently, the
traditional methods of recruitment retention
and productivity need to be challenged.
Industry must be encouraged to work smarter
because there will be a further tightening of
the labour market and more skill shortages due
to demographics and Gen z disengagement.
However, there is opportunity to take on
displaced workers.
Industry must adapt to attract new Gen z
employees, understand what motivates them,
what they look for in a career and offer
packages that suit. If this is not done locally,
they will move out of the county and find work
where better packages and conditions are in
place, evidence suggests that this migration
out of the area within a younger demographic
is already happening.
We can have the best educational system in
place and lead the way in new sustainable
technologies, but if local industry does not
make the change and offer relevant jobs and
work packages, talent drain will get worse.
The majority of businesses are busy SME’s and
as such potentially require guidance and
support for the path they need to take towards
Net Zero, with full impartial advice on
decarbonisation, productivity, industry coupling
and overcoming the demographic challenges.
Highlight the opportunities the future will bring
to the core economic industry and providing
them with the tools and knowledge to take full
advantage of that potential is essential
Many have an ageing workforce, long term
sickness issues, rising costs and recruitment
concerns, how can they retain experience and
knowledge? Utilising the older generation as
mentors and not lose that vital knowledge will
be key.
With the correct guidance and support the
county can ensure that skills and competences
are in place at a local level to achieve the
counties ambitions.
Education and Industry must look to a
partnership approach and build on the
successes where this has previously
happened.
In short, recruitment, development and
retention planning should be at the forefront
of employer's minds.
Engagement with the RLSP is key. The RLSP
can ensure correct training provision is in
place to aid skill shortfalls, however it is vital
industry engages and ensures their voice is
heard.
An extract from a City & Guilds report below
emphasised the need for this wider
collaboration, showing that only around 16%
of industry collaborate with education.
Research found that businesses tend to look
inwardly when considering their future skills
need: 40% of employers say they assess future
skills and talent requirements internally
through audits, benchmarks, or dialogue with
staff, while one in five (20%) do so by
collaborating with other businesses in their
industry to understand emerging trends, and
17% consult with HR or recruitment agencies,
and 16% with educational institutions
City and Skills
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