The IT skills gap is becoming a very real problem, one that needs addressing before it drains even more money out of the UK’s already fragile economy. With the digital revolution in full swing, companies are striving to utilise available technology to prevent themselves from falling by the wayside. The need for skills that complement this technology has never been higher. While a fundamental shift in educational values will help bridge this gap in generations to come, it doesn’t address the urgent matter that businesses are facing today.
The UK’s decision to opt out of the EU following the recent referendum has thrown yet another spanner into the works. With potential stricter border controls being put into place and a possible end to free movement for EU workers, the UK will likely see the divide in the IT skills gap widen even further. While it may be too early to fully comprehend the implications of the Brexit, the skills gap should be high on the list of considerations for politicians when addressing future policies.
It is essential that both the government and businesses alike, invest in training and development which can channel on-shore UK talent into those job opportunities that remain vacant. The government urgently needs to be providing incentives for employers to offer on-the-job training. Apprenticeship schemes need to be put in place and money needs to be invested in training and development programmes that will suitably equip the UK workforce for the tasks at hand. In the long term there needs to be an adequate curriculum in place to ensure students are appropriately educated in the field of IT.
We’re passionate about nurturing on-shore talent.
August 8th, 2016
Tags: Apprenticeship, Brexit, On-shore, Skills gap, Students, Technology, Training
