RECRUITMENT companies in Scotland say investment in education, keeping graduates and boosting transport are key to economic success.
A new regional business forum, made up of some of the top recruitment companies in Scotland, agreed the strategy would boost employment growth.
The forum, facilitated by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), says heavy investment in education is needed to improve academic standards and address specialist skills shortages.
There is a consensus, according to the forum, “that the education system is failing students by giving them no preparation for ‘real world’ commercial and life situations”.
They add: “More must be done to deter Scottish students from moving to London in order to secure good jobs.
“As many large companies move their headquarters to Scotland, more opportunities are becoming available to Scottish graduates who might have traditionally moved south of the border.
“By highlighting these attractive alternatives, Scotland will ensure that it does not lose out in the war for talent.”
Turning to transport, they add: “The increased costs of flights between Scotland and the south prevent many SMEs from operating south of the border. Only one airline conducts flights between Glasgow, Edinburgh and London, so there is no competition and high prices go unchallenged.”
Lisa Moore, APSCO’s Membership Relations Manager for Scotland, said: “The regional business forum was a great success, with many ideas on boosting Scotland’s employment market discussed.
Perhaps the most popular initiative was to focus on education as a means of not only narrowing the specialist skills gap, but also of preparing graduates for business, thus giving Scotland a competitive edge in the war for talent.”
