The government will host the Skills for Growth conference today, bringing together top employers to address the skills shortage, helping to promote economic growth by preventing businesses from “driving with the handbrake on.”
The Office for National Statistics revealed that in May 2023, there were 1,051,000 job vacancies in the UK while back in 2019, almost a quarter (24 per cent) of vacancies were the result of skills shortages.
The Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is set to speak at the event, alongside Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt as well as other leading government figures. Google, Amazon and BP are among the list of large attendees who will be attending the event to discuss the future of skills.
Elizabeth Anderson, Interim CEO at Digital Poverty Alliance commented:
“It is always great to see the government get behind initiatives that support equipping our nation with the skills they need to succeed. While many of us have the privilege of access to technology and skills in everyday life, 10 million adults are still lacking essential digital skills and digital exclusion is something many face across the country including lack of access to equipment, resources and skills.
“As we can see, there is still a huge number of job vacancies going unfilled and we must do better as a nation at providing our future workforce with the access to both skills, and resources, to offer the best chance at being successful in recruitment processes, and then, in the workplace.”
Gillian Keegan, Education Secretary, said: “I know from my years in business that organisations drive innovation and create opportunities, but without skilled workers, it often feels like you’re driving with the handbrake on.”
“The Government is investing in building future skills for growth and calling on businesses to work with us, so that together we can build the workforce of tomorrow.”
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