The UK STEM skills shortage costs our economy an estimated £1.5bn every year, placing
business
growth, net-zero objectives, and digital transformation at risk.
Adecco’s Plugging the STEM Skills Gap whitepaper provides achievable solutions and workforce
development strategies to address talent shortfalls in your business and beyond. Download
your
free report now.
The deepening impact of the UK STEM skills shortage
Longstanding STEM skills shortages continue to impact productivity, economic advancement,
and
broader policy objectives. According to the UK Commission for Employment & Skills, 43% of
STEM
vacancies are hard to fill – primarily due to a lack of applicants with the required skills
and
experience.
The resulting talent deficit has left employment gaps across key fields, including
engineering,
defence, aerospace, and energy. According to research commissioned by National Grid, the
UK’s
energy sector needs to expand the net-zero energy workforce by 400,000 people before 2050.
The
automotive industry will also be significantly affected, with employment structures heavily
altered by the transition to electric mobility.
Hundreds of thousands of technology and IT-related positions are also going unfilled. The UK
tech sector has grown tenfold in the last decade, with organisations setting ambitious
digital
transformation goals across cyber security, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics.
However,
almost 70% of UK digital leaders say talent shortfalls are slowing the pace of progress.
Despite the imbalance of talent supply and demand, STEM workforce projections show a wealth
of
opportunity for organisations that embrace automation, technology, and networking. 49% of
manufacturing companies say they will need more higher-level capabilities and 46% expect to
take
on more mid-level skills. The trend continues in other STEM-led areas, such as streamlining
engineering to enhance efficiency and using AI experts and robotics engineers to optimise
quality control, safety, and production schedules.
While these emerging fields offer new employment and development avenues, upskilling staff
and
sourcing qualified technical and analytical talent is crucial to filling future roles.