Skills survey asks business exactly what it needs

10th May 2017

"Potential Investors are increasingly making decisions based on the supply of a properly skilled workforce.

Despite this organisations still talk about hard to fill vacancies despite a lot of work being done to try and address the issues. Can I encourage all members to either complete the survey below and/or attend one of the workshops. This issue needs a long term approach so it must be based on good data." Richard Wright, Executive Director, Sheffield Chamber 10 minutes to tell Sheffield City Region about the gaps As employers everywhere worry about finding skilled staff, a ground-breaking initiative by the Sheffield City Region (SCR) is being launched to find out exactly what business needs. In one of the most in-depth surveys into skills gaps and hard-to-fill vacancies, hundreds of business leaders across the region's key industrial sectors are being approached to complete a brief survey. It will take less than 10 minutes to provide the details the region needs to provide the right skills, and help employers to fill jobs. Anyone else in business who is interested is encouraged to complete the survey at http://bit.ly/SCRskills. The survey will be open to business leaders from the construction, manufacturing, business, professional, financial and digital sectors.  Running alongside it will be a series of round table discussions throughout the region with key influencers and decision makers. The findings, which will be known by the end of July, will allow the SCR to make well-informed decisions about adult education and skills training to help boost growth and jobs across the economy. Nigel Brewster, Vice Chair of the SCR's Local Enterprise Partnership, said: -We know we in the Sheffield City Region, along with many areas of the UK, face a skills shortage. Here in this region we are already tackling those issues: we are funding the infrastructure works for the National College for High Speed Rail, and the new campus for higher-level learning at Rotherham College for example. We also provide funding for business training which can be designed by the employer. -I'm also very pleased that we have two construction 'Skills Villages' at Barnsley and Doncaster where youngsters get on-the-job experience as they learn. -However, we need much more detailed information from employers so that we can really provide first class access to skills training. We want to know if there is a link between certain missing skills perhaps technical and social skills for example. -We just need a few minutes of employers' time to fill in the survey job hunters and unsuccessful applicants are also being asked what holds them back. Louisa Harrison-Walker, Managing Director at Sheffield's Benchmark Recruitment agency which has been appointed by the SCR to undertake the survey, said: -This is an opportune time for businesses to have their say and inform the Sheffield City Region of skills shortages and how this affects their business operation.  It is important we get a true reflection of the reasons behind the shortages to shape the future of the region. -We are aware of the challenges employers face in certain sectors and are keen to drill down to the root of the issues for employers and candidates. In conjunction with Sheffield City Region's survey a series of round table events will be held to gain a further insight into business needs.  To find out further details please click the links below: Wednesday, 10th May Sheffield at PWC Wednesday, 17th May Doncaster at Doncaster Rovers FC Wednesday, 7th June Rotherham at The AMP Wednesday, 14th June Chesterfield Wednesday, 21st June Derbyshire Wednesday, 28th June Sheffield at the Crucible Theatre