Managing Director Brian Stahelin comments on what lies ahead for recruitment in 2018 in a recent article for Recruitment Agency Now.
The year ahead promises to be an eventful one in both the recruitment industry and the wider economy.
For many recruiters, it is likely to be dominated by the potential implications of Brexit, with skills shortages a particular concern. “We know that EU workers are already leaving the country due to the uncertainties around their future status in the UK and that fewer are coming over from the continent,” says Tom Hadley, director of policy at the REC. “If this continues, the pool of available candidates for vacancies will diminish even further.” Low-skilled sectors, such as warehousing, hospitality or agriculture and food production, could be hit especially hard, he warns.
Brexit, and skills shortages, will be the main challenges for the coming year, believes Nicholas McVeigh-Crabbe, director at construction and residential property recruiter BBR Services. “The construction industry has been balancing a skills shortage for a number of years and, without improved training and enhanced opportunities for young people entering the sector, it will only worsen,” he says. “As Brexit negotiations continue, there is a real possibility we could see a further fall in the numbers of skilled EU construction workers here, who account for around 30% of the candidates we recruit for our clients.”
Future restrictions of people entering the UK could also compound the issue, warns Brian Stahelin, founder and managing director of Stafflex. “UK unemployment stands at 1.43 million,” he says. “If we assume 50% of the unemployment figure cannot work for various genuine reasons and there are approximately 750,000 current vacancies, then we effectively have full employment, and no one left to fill the jobs. This is exacerbated when new jobs are being created.” The people who may be available don’t necessarily live where the jobs are, he adds.
Click here to read the full article on Recruitment Agency Now.
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