The impact of the pandemic on business activity, labour mobility and apprenticeship numbers, combined with changes to the UK’s immigration system, have contributed to this challenging environment. However, our recent survey, conducted for the CIPD by YouGov, shows there are clear gaps in what employers are doing to address the problem, and some remarkably low levels of awareness of key Scottish skills initiatives that could be of help.
The aim of this report is to shine a light on some of the experiences and perceptions of employers in Scotland in relation to skills development and training, and to offer a series of conclusions and recommendations in six key areas:
- labour and skills shortages
- employer approaches to training
- relationships with training providers
- young people and work
- apprenticeships
- Scottish skills initiatives.