UK Skill Shortage Stumping Growth For Tech Companies

Unemployment and a general lack of employment opportunities are a massive problem that we’re all familiar with, but what happens when the opposite is true, and there are jobs galore, but no one to fill them? That is the issue the tech industry is confronted with right now, there is a tech workers shortage as there is a critical skill shortage that is actively stumping growth of tech companies in the industry. What is it like to have jobs, but no workers for them? Why is this happening? And can the situation be rectified?

The Tech Industry Is Growing Faster Than Workers Can Acquire Skills

One of the problems that the UK has not quite faced before is the actual booming success that the tech industry is experiencing. The growth we’ve witnessed is outstanding, and things are changing and developing faster and faster every day. On one hand, that is a definite plus, because it means new and improved technology, but the issue that arises as a side-effect, of course, is the fact that we don’t have enough skilled workers for the jobs that are being created. The skills that are needed are not yet held by enough people in the workforce, which means there is a shortage of suitable employees.

Not Enough Women Are Encouraged To Go Into STEM

Of course, the fact that tech is a traditionally male-dominated field does not help things at all. There’s been some major improvement in this area in recent years and more and more women are taking jobs in tech. However, numbers still aren’t on par with male workers, and this discrepancy is one of the reasons why the skills are lacking in the industry. If more women saw tech as a possibility, then there would now be more workers with the right skills for the needs the industry currently has.

Bringing In Foreign Talent

One solution that’s been used is to “outsource” jobs or bring in foreign talent. If the UK doesn’t provide enough workers with the necessary skills, the companies still need to get employees somewhere, and turning to other countries to recruit candidates can be a real solution. And with the advanced technology we enjoy today, it’s easier than ever to work remotely, even within a large team or when dealing with a project that requires close collaboration.

Encouraging And Training Young Girls For STEM

One obvious solution, at least for future generations, is to actively encourage young girls to go into STEM jobs and tech, especially. This starts in school, where there can be special programmes set up teaching and supporting young girls who have an interest in pursuing activities like coding and other tech-related jobs. That will ensure that the girls that do wish to have a career in tech receive the support and encouragement they need and see it as a viable option in the future. They could even acquire the necessary skills by the time they are ready to enter the job market.

Training And Priming People For Tech Jobs

The other thing to consider is just training and priming more people for tech jobs, in general. There is a large untapped market for eager employees in the older generation, which is under-utilised, as well as young workers in other industries that are over-educated, under-employed and under-paid.

It can be a win-win situation to put the time and money into re-educating and re-training people and priming them to take over jobs in tech that they would have not been able to get before. It’s definitely an investment, but it’s an investment into the same industry, at the end of the day. When you re-train a person to have them qualify for a position within your company, you can offer them a permanent contract.

The skill shortage in the tech industry is definitely a real problem that needs to be considered and addressed. Especially since it has overarching ramifications and it is actively preventing further growth and progress within the industry.

That is why it’s incredibly important to not only take it seriously, but actively look for solutions. Tech companies should do their part in solving the issue by designing and setting up classes and programmes training people and exploring untapped resources for employees.

In conclusion, while this is a real problem, it is not one without solutions. There are several things that can be done within the industry, not only now, but in the future, in order to rectify the situation. As the tech industry continues to develop and grow, more and more jobs are created and people, especially young recent graduates, are taking an interest in the great career opportunities, attractive wages, and stability that tech skills can provide for them.