
21.05.2025
Skills Shortages Bulletin 16
Addressing geographic and demographic inequalities and taking inspiration from Formula 1.
Skills shortages are pervasive in the UK. They have significant costs for UK businesses, the economy, the environment, and young people. After the closure of the UK commission on employment and skills in 2017, Edge Foundation stepped forward to convene key organisations and researchers to produce a regular series of bulletins exploring skills shortages across key areas of the economy. Since then, Brexit, Covid-19, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and a decline in investment in skills have all exacerbated the scale of skills shortages. As devolved bodies across the UK like Skills England and Medr take on responsibility for co-ordinating responses to these challenges, Edge will continue to share skills shortages research and examples of interventions across the economy.