Aging workforce highlights need for sustainable recruitment
Posted: Monday 5th February 2007
Since the completion of Stages 1 & 2 of its Sector Skills Agreement (SSA), Energy & Utility Skills (EU Skills) now has the factual evidence to clearly identify the important skills issues facing the water industry.
Sustainable recruitment is a key factor in ensuring that the water industry has the future skills required by employers, an issue which will not be resolved without active programmes to recruit, train and upskill.
Due to its stability, the water industry is seen as a good employer and this is resulting in an aging workforce, brought about by low staff turnover. There is also increasing pressure on funding available for training as the five yearly regulatory review of pricing has progressively further pressurised budgets.
At the same time the water industry is faced with an increasingly competitive market for the recruitment of higher level skills. In this industry around 34% of jobs are classed as high skill, compared to the UK average of 23%. It is therefore unlikely that the future requirement will be fulfilled through the traditional graduate route. EU Skills is therefore investigating and developing sustainable recruitment routes through the alternatives of a Water Higher Education Academy and schools engagement programme. It is hoped that this will encourage those starting out in their careers to view the water industry as an exciting and rewarding employment opportunity.
This requirement means a fundamental realignment of traditional recruitment activities. The industry is not presently well engaged with higher education and needs to redress this situation.
EU Skills is already working towards bringing higher education and employers closer, to actively bring forward career opportunities in the industry to those going into further education and higher education.
Young Apprenticeship models are being developed with a view to providing qualifications which have a recognised value for those who achieve them and which will set them out on a career which has development opportunities.
It is not an instant fix, but it is very necessary if the water industry is to have the required skilled workforce in the future.
In the shorter term, and as an additional source of recruitment, EU Skills is working with funding agencies to develop programmes targeted specifically at potential resource pools such as the armed forces, women into work and overseas workers.
Now that EU Skills SSA research has provided the hard evidence of the skills required for the future and of the gaps which exist, it is vital that the water industry works together to resolve the problems. They will not go away on their own. EU Skills role is to work with employers and stakeholders to make sure plans are developed which will overcome the projected skills gaps. And ideas are already being considered and trialled to ensure that the required skills will be available to employers to meet their needs.
