{"id":5075,"date":"2026-06-22T00:01:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T23:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/scotland\/?p=5075"},"modified":"2026-06-19T11:16:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:16:28","slug":"skills-shortages-hit-half-of-all-scottish-employers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/scotland\/news\/5075-skills-shortages-hit-half-of-all-scottish-employers","title":{"rendered":"Skills shortages hit half of all Scottish employers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Half of employers in Scotland are reporting skills shortages and only 32% have recruitment or training initiatives aimed at those under 25.<\/p>\n

Research by The Open University also found 42% of employers have hired fewer people over the past year, compared with just 26% who have increased recruitment.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the research points to an opportunity for employers seeking to strengthen their workforce, with around 80% of 16-to-24 year-olds not in education, employment or training (neet) saying they would remain loyal to an employer that invested in training beyond the requirements of their immediate role.<\/p>\n

The Open University in Scotland stated that the findings demonstrate the need for stronger collaboration between employers and educators to tackle skills shortages, while creating more opportunities for young people to enter and progress within the workforce.<\/p>\n

Jane Grant, depute director of external engagement and partnerships at The Open University in Scotland, said: \u201cDespite rising economic pressures and changing labour market demands, skills shortages remain a stubborn challenge for employers across Scotland and the wider UK.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is vital that we work together to build the future talent pipelines employers need: young people are the nurses, teachers, engineers, social workers and digital specialists of tomorrow, and we must ensure they have access to flexible and accessible routes into those careers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we are serious about economic growth, we must be equally serious about creating opportunity and giving young people the knowledge, skills and support they need to convert that opportunity into value for themselves, their communities and Scotland’s economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The findings come amid growing concern about the barriers many young people face when trying to enter the workforce.<\/p>\n

Recent warnings from former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn<\/a> suggested the UK risks creating a ‘lost generation’ of young people facing shrinking opportunities and increasing barriers to entering work.<\/p>\n

Milburn found more than a million young people are not in work across the UK, while The Centre for Social Justice earlier in the year found 707,000 graduates are currently unemployed and claiming welfare benefits.<\/p>\n

The Open University in Scotland believes flexible learning pathways can play an important role in helping organisations develop talent while supporting individuals to gain qualifications and workplace experience.<\/p>\n

This approach allows people to combine learning with existing commitments, making education and skills development more accessible to a wider range of learners. It can also help employers grow talent from within their own organisations and local communities, reducing reliance on increasingly competitive recruitment markets.<\/p>\n

Grant added: \u201cAs workforce needs continue to evolve, developing accessible routes into employment and lifelong learning will become increasingly important for employers seeking to remain competitive.<\/p>\n

\u201cTherefore stronger partnerships between employers and education providers will be vital if Scotland is to address long-term skills shortages and create sustainable opportunities for young people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The research was conducted by Opinium Research between April and May with 1,500 senior decision-makers responsible for recruitment across UK organisations, alongside 1,000 neets aged 16-to-24.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Research reveals youth training initiatives remain the exception rather than the norm<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":278857,"featured_media":5076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[120782,8,127684],"coauthors":[137126],"class_list":["post-5075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-people","category-recruitment","tag-featured-story","tag-scotland"],"yoast_head":"\nSkills shortages hit half of all Scottish employers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Research reveals youth training initiatives remain the exception rather than the norm.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/scotland\/news\/5075-skills-shortages-hit-half-of-all-scottish-employers\" 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