AN EDINBURGH College report reveals that 88% of employers found vacancies hard to fill due to difficulties finding skilled applicants.
These recruitment challenges are causing a knock-on impact, with 44% of respondents saying staff were experiencing an increased workload and 7% saying they were losing business or orders to competitors as a result.
Further to this, only 35% of respondents were confident their organisations would be able to recruit the right people in 2025, according to the report from the college.
A total of 57 employers representing almost 17,000 employee from across the region responded to a 30-question survey, with a smaller number taking part in a more detailed interview to explore issues around recruitment, retention, and skills policy in more depth.
The report, entitled Our Capital, Our Workforce, highlights employer attitudes towards skills and the labour market, as well as examining the college’s own role in supporting employers with the ongoing recruitment and upskilling challenges they face.
Over the past seven years, the college has trained more than 10,000 employees and continues to tackle workforce challenges with tailored programs, supporting more than 200 businesses annually.
Michael Jeffrey, vice principal at Edinburgh College, said: “This new report provides a snapshot of the current skills needs of our region, an insight into the workforce challenges employers are facing now and could face in the future.
“Edinburgh College has a key role to play in supporting local businesses by supplying a talented workforce that has the skills they need to thrive.
“What comes through strongly from our results is that the last five years have precipitated an even greater pace of change like work and the future skills needs of our economy.
“It suggests the need to upskill our workforce and drive economic productivity through innovation has never been greater.
“We’re proud of the vital role Edinburgh College is playing in addressing the recruitment and skill development challenges faced by local businesses.
“With innovative initiatives like the Renewables and Energy Efficiency Training Centre, the college is equipping workers with skills for the future, supporting net-zero goals, and addressing critical shortages in engineering and technical fields.
“We will use the findings to inform our approach as we continue to deepen our ties with employers across all areas of our work from curriculum design, through to apprenticeships and the provision of bespoke upskilling and reskilling courses.”
The report also examines the impact of policy changes like the ending of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.
Almost 40% (39%) of those surveyed (who had previously used the fund) said they will do less workforce training as a result of it ending, and only 19% said they will fund more workplace training themselves to make up the shortfall.
Despite this 47% of businesses said they are already employing apprentices, and 77% of those who didn’t already said they would potentially consider doing so in the future.
Jeffrey, said: “The feedback we got from the survey clearly shows the negative impact that ending the Flexible Workforce Development Fund has had for both the college sector and employers across the region.
“While attitudes towards apprentices are encouraging, it’s vital skills development in Scotland is given the support it needs rather than having funding removed as we have seen in this case.”
