Our fifteenth bulletin considers the scale of existing shortages, and indicates some ways the new government might begin to tackle them.
In our latest Skills Shortage Bulletin, Edge takes a hard look at the persistent inequalities that shape the UK’s education and skills landscape. We examine geographic and demographic disparities in the UK workforce’s access to education and skills. While entrenched systemic barriers are now familiar, new research is unravelling the importance of improved resourcing, targeted regional planning, and greater industry-education collaboration. But we’re not just diagnosing the problem, we’re highlighting some inspiring solutions. There are contributions from the OECD, Learning and Work Institute, Careers & Enterprise Company, Engineering UK and more.
Our latest findings should prove valuable for Skills England, which faces the important task of encouraging increased employer investment in domestic skills, an issue that may become even more pressing in light of recent changes in migration policy. But in spite of some difficult findings, pockets of innovation offer glimmers of hope. This edition features a special focus on Formula 1, and the sector’s inclusive employment and skills initiatives. Red Bull Ford Power Trains in Milton Keynes, and Lewis Hamilton’s charity Mission 44 share their initiatives in breaking down barriers and leading in targeted, place-based investment. We also have contributions from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Formula Student.
