Solving the skills mismatch is critical to support economic recovery and avoid long-term unemployment.
Historically, Dorset has adjusted relatively quickly to shocks and typically maintained low unemployment. A fresh lockdown and the new EU trade deal make for a challenging start to the new year, once again testing the resilience of Dorset’s business community.
While the impact of the pandemic on the hospitality, tourism and arts sectors has been significant, and unemployment increased in 2020, the latest figures indicate that a cluster of Dorset’s key sectors are starting to pave a road to recovery.
A review of local labour market information by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), highlights that in 2020 recruitment activity in the financial services, utilities, professional services, scientific and technical activities was largely maintained, while the health and social care sector grew by a quarter.
The review by Dorset LEP also highlights that alongside low-skilled workers, young people have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic due to almost half of 18-24-year olds being employed in distribution, hospitality and retail at the start of 2020.
What this review clearly highlights is a mismatch between job vacancies in Dorset’s key sectors and the skills and experiences of a large proportion of Dorset’s available workforce. This mismatch creates risk for prolonged unemployment for job seekers while skills gaps remain a challenge for employers, despite the increase in number of applicants. It is, therefore, critical that people gain new skills to support economic recovery.
One long-term solution to help address this mismatch is for businesses to support young people through virtual work experiences. Experiences that can be accessed safely and remotely yet still inspire and motivate young local talent to progress in Dorset’s established and growing industries.
Dorset LEP’s careers education lead, Dorset Careers Hub, is calling for local businesses to provide short work experiences, online, this summer for young people in school years 9 – 11. There is also opportunity to participate in a trial in the springtime.
Businesses will have full support designing these virtual work experiences, tailored to your organisation and the skills young people need for the world of work.
The ask:
- Experiences for student groups of 5 – 30
- Staff time to support a 1 to 3 day programme
- Activity to take place in June or July 2021.
Discover more about this opportunity and watch a video at www.dorsetlep.co.uk/virtual-work-experience
If you are interested in your business can help young people set their sights on great careers, email dorsetlep@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Read the review of local market information at www.dorsetlep.co.uk/labour-market-and-skills-research.
Dorset Gateway, Dorset LEP’s business growth hub, provides free advice, business support, signposting and innovation funding bid-writing services to businesses in Dorset. Our team has access to a wide range of intelligence and insights that help us shape the support packages we offer. We also provide a regional business voice to government and other initiatives in Dorset.