Page 15 - Gi flipbook April 2018

Business groups call for urgent help organisations develop
the skills they need,”
action to avert skills crisis needs to shout, loudly,
“The UK government
and in the direction of the
EU that their citizens are
BRITISH BUSINESS The number of European employment rates at record needed, welcome and will
GROUPS have called for citizens arriving has highs,” said Neil Carberry, enjoy long-term security
urgent action to address dropped sharply since CBI Managing Director. by coming to the UK to
the UK’s worsening the EU referendum, while “Fewer EU workers work, study and settle,”
skills shortage after the the number of people coming to the UK is a said Tim Thomas, Director
latest figures revealed from outside the bloc has significant factor in these of Employment and Skills
plummeting net migration. increased, reports The shortages. To compete, the Policy.
The Office for National Independent. UK needs to be somewhere “Without this, more will
Statistics (ONS) said net “These figures confirm that people want to come see the UK as a destination
migration in the year to what businesses up and to work, and regrettably, of risk not choice.
September was down by down the country are increasingly it isn’t.” “Immigration from non-EU
47,000 to 244,000 people telling us. It is becoming “The CIPD/The Adecco nationals has outstripped
– a similar level to early much more difficult to Group Labour Market workers coming to the
2014 and down on record recruit the people that Outlook showed that UK from the EU, and for
levels in 2015 and 2016. businesses need with future migration restrictions EU workers from older
were unlikely to act as a member states – France
catalyst for improving skills and Germany – is taking a
investment in the UK,” said nose-dive.
Ian Brinkley, Acting Chief “Study is now the second
Economist at the CIPD. most common reason for
“The government needs immigration, which is a
to encourage greater cause for celebration for
investment in skills and the UK’s outstanding higher
training, for example by education sector, but does
Immigration levels are making the apprenticeship not provide the workers
affecting the skills crisis levy into a much more needed to drive the
flexible training levy that will economy of UK Plc now.” ■

Engineering apprenticeships

decline to lowest level in two years

THE UPTAKE OF has declined over the past clearly discouraged the use
engineering apprenticeships few years. There were of apprentices.
has declined to the 203,680 applications in “The question is whether
lowest level in two years, the most recent full year the initial drop-off in the
according to research by for which data is available number of engineering Uptake is down
Nixon Williams, a provider (2015/16), just under 2.6 for apprentices will bounce
of accountancy services to every place. That contrasts back or whether we will see
engineering contractors. with 2013/14, when there further falls as employers “The UK is predicted to
According to data were over three-and-a- invest in upskilling existing need approximately 87,000
obtained from the Skills half applications for every staff instead.” new engineers every year.
Funding Agency, the engineering apprenticeship, “The UK has suffered UK universities churn out
number of people starting according to The Engineer. from a chronic around 50,000 engineering
engineering apprenticeships Derek Kelly, CEO of underproduction of graduates per year, many
declined by 5.7 per cent in Nixon Williams, said: “The engineering skills, which of whom do not remain in
2016/17. A total of 74,010 number of people starting has made it increasingly the country, so increasing
people started engineering engineering apprenticeships reliant on foreign talent the talent pipeline through
apprenticeships in 2016/17, was recovering from to plug skills gaps. With apprenticeships will be vital
down from 78,480 in its 2013/14 trough but the UK leaving the EU, to meeting that demand. In
2015/16. the impact of the new that model is under threat, places like London, where
According to Nixon apprenticeship levy and which makes indigenous demand for engineering
Williams, the number obligations on smaller skills and training more skills is particularly robust,
of applicants for every employers to meet some important than ever for the apprenticeship places are
engineering apprenticeship of the training costs has UK engineering sector. very hard to find.” ■

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News.indd 10 15/03/2018 14:24