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People and Work

People and work

PEOPLE and WORK

Working to reform the labour market and tackle skills shortages

Attracting and retaining people with the rights skills is crucial for businesses.

Find out how the BCC and our Accredited Chambers of Commerce are working to connect employers to skills and people to jobs.

PEOPLE and work

Boosting skills: journey through education and work

To grow our economy we need more skilled, engaged and motivated people to contribute to the workforce in every part of the UK. In recent years, however, we have had record levels of job vacancies. Employers have experienced a shortage of job candidates and a mismatch of skills on offer. It’s had a damaging impact on firms’ ability to fulfil order books, take on new work and operate profitably.

This report considers the lifecycle of an individual through the education and work and the role of government and employers in enabling everyone to be skilled, productive, healthy and achieving their full potential.   

People and Work – Boosting Skills: Journey Through Education and Work

PEOPLE and WORK

policy impacts 2023- 2024

BCC has repeatedly called for greater flexibility in the apprenticeship system to help firms train and upskill their workforce, and to help people into sustainable jobs. In the Spring Budget 2024, the government agreed to remove the co-funding requirement for SMEs taking on young apprentices and to double the amount of unspent levy that firms can transfer to their supply chain.

With two thirds of firms experiencing people and skills shortages, BCC has called for more support to help parents and the economically inactive back into work. The government has announced an increase in childcare support and is taking steps to help SMEs access occupational health services.

Skills shortages in local planning authorities means they often can’t provide the speed and consistency of service that businesses and investors need. The BCC is raising £3m from the private sector to train more qualified planners to work in councils. The government has agreed to match-fund our ambition to ensure that councils have the funds to employ graduates qualifying via BCC’s Planning Skills and Jobs Programme.

LOCAL SKILLS IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Bridging the skills gap – A new dynamic for business, education and skills. Linking local action with national strategy. 

Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) have spearheaded one of the biggest shake ups around skills and business needs in recent times.

Diverse businesses and employers across England, many of whom had never engaged in conversation with training providers before, have spoken loudly and clearly.

In thirty-two out of the thirty-eight LSIP areas, as the designated Employer Representative Bodies, Chambers of Commerce have led the way.

LOCAL SKILLS IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Accredited Chambers of Commerce are leading 32 of the 38 Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs)

Across England, 32 Accredited Chambers of Commerce are convening businesses, training providers, funders and a wide range of local stakeholders to plan for the skills needed to boost local economies and improve opportunities for individuals.

Contact your local Chamber to find out more and see the full list of designated employer representative bodies.

Employment Trends Report

In partnership with the recruitment agency Pertemps this report examines major trends impacting the labour market, including changing skills needs and increasing occupational health requirements.

The majority of SMEs are still not using artificial intelligence, despite a growing acceptance by businesses that it will help boost productivity.   

Research carried out by the BCC Insights Unit in partnership with specialist recruiter Pertemps Network Group, shows: 

  • 43% of firms have no plans to use AI technology. 
  • 25% of businesses are currently using AI. 
  • Customer facing businesses (B2C) are even less likely to adopt AI , with 50% stating they have no plans to use this technology.  
  • 42% of companies say they believe AI will increase their productivity overall, while almost none (2%) expect it to cause a decrease. 

The BCC research found overall, 43% of respondents had no plans to use AI at all, 25% said they were currently using a specific AI technology, while 8% were not sure if they were, and 24% planned to in future. 

The Business Barometer 2024 

The latest edition of an annual report published by The Open University, in partnership with the BCC, has found that longstanding skill challenges remain which are hampering organisations in a number of ways.

A UK-wide employer survey of more than 1,300 employers, found that 62% of organisations are currently facing skills shortages. While this is down from 73% in 2023, the ongoing impacts are widespread.

  • 64% say they are not confident about applying new AI and green technologies.
  • 68% of organisations with shortages acknowledge this increases workload on existing staff.

While many employers are responding by offering training and committing to expanding apprenticeship numbers, the report also reveals a lack of strategic planning when it comes to tackling the skills gap.

  • Only 19% say they have implemented a written skills plan for 2024, while 71% have not.
  • 63% of organisations do not have specific recruitment, retention, or training initiatives for targeted groups such as people with disabilities or younger workers.

The report concludes with a number of recommendations to help employers to tackle skills gaps and make the case for proactive investment in growing their own talent.

T Levels are a qualification for students aged 16 to 19 who’ve finished their GCSEs. They are designed by employers for employers and include a 45-day industry placement that gives you early access to the brightest talent entering your market.

Each T Level is equivalent in size to 3 A levels and helps young people develop the knowledge, attitude and practical skills to thrive in the workplace.

Every T Level student completes an industry placement that lasts a minimum of 315 hours (approximately 45 days). Industry placements give employers a unique opportunity to help develop new talent, and get young people work-ready.

A step-by-step guide has recently been published for employers which helps to clarify the steps involved in delivering successful apprenticeships in their businesses.

The straightforward guide helps employers decide if apprenticeships are right for them by addressing practicalities like, funding, choosing an apprenticeship provider and organising end-point assessment.

The guide clearly sets out employer’s responsibilities, how they can support their apprentice and plan for their progression once the apprenticeship has been achieved. The step-by-step guide draws everything together into one convenient place.

Businesses have a key role in helping young people understand the local career opportunities available and in offering the work experience that can bridge the gap between the worlds of education and the workplace. Contact your local Chamber who can help you connect to schools, colleges and universities in your area.

The Education Landscape – A Guide For Employers
This Guide is an overview of the education system as a whole and explains how employers can work with schools, colleges and universities, and the wider skills system, to benefit their business.

Apprenticeships: levy transfers – good practice guide
This employer guide is the joint work of the Department for Education, The Education and Skills Funding Agency and the BCC. If you are a business with Apprenticeship Levy funds to share, or an SME with apprenticeship ambitions, we hope it will help you to connect and succeed.

BCC liaises with ministers and government to shape the business environment in relation to employment and skills. Our Employment Expert Panel provides insights on the impact of employment policy from a wide range of sectors and regions.

The Open University (OU) Webinar – How to beat the skills shortage

This webinar discussed the UK’s skills landscape, in the context of the findings of the 2022 Business Barometer report, which was produced by the OU in conjunction with BCC.

Sonia Sodha, Chief Lead Writer and Columnist at The Observer, facilitated the panel discussion. Joining her on the panel were Ettie McCormack, Learning and Performance Consultant at STEP Forward Solutions, Phil Kenmore, Director of Corporate Development and Partnerships at the OU and Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy at the BCC.

The Business Barometer report, now in its sixth year, identifies the key workforce and skills issues facing UK organisations. This year’s report found that over two-thirds of SMEs are currently experiencing skills shortages, with larger organisations faring even worse – 86% of large organisations are reporting skills gaps. Manufacturing, the public and third sectors are particularly hard hit.

After discussing the key findings from the report, the webinar then outlined a three-pronged, strategic approach to addressing skills shortages: plan, train and consult.

4 steps to help you to attract and retain a skilled workforce

People are the lifeblood of any business – bringing the skills and creativity we need for growth and success. In this video, Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy at the BCC shares some practical steps to help you to attract and retain a skilled workforce.

  • Step 1: Think about how you can introduce more flexibility in the workplace.
  • Step 2: Think about how you can fill job vacancies by training your existing workforce.
  • Step 3: Develop a pipeline of future talent.
  • Step 4: Consider how you can access technical skills from outside the UK for those hard to fill vacancies.

Watch below:

people and work

Bridging The Skills Gap

A new dynamic for business, education and skills Linking local action with national strategy

Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) have spearheaded one of the biggest shake ups around skills and business needs in recent times.

Diverse businesses and employers across England, many of whom had never engaged in conversation with training providers before, have spoken loudly and clearly.

In thirty-two out of the thirty-eight LSIP areas, as the designated Employer Representative Bodies, Chambers of Commerce have led the way.

Bridging The Skills Gap – A new dynamic for business, education and skills. Linking local action with national strategy

PEOPLE CAMPAIGN

workplace training and development commission

The Report of the Independent Workplace Training and Development Commission outlines the changes needed in the skills system to ensure employers can access a skilled workforce and the adults can continuously train and retrain for sustainable jobs. 

The report includes recommendations for government, training providers, employers and individuals.

People Campaign – People and Work

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