Or “why you should be worried by 47%”
47% is the proportion of staff an average UK water and sewerage company will need to replace or significantly retrain 2020-2030 according to EK Skills Workforce Planning Model which is accurate to ±5%.
And it is happening now.
Mega Trends
Mega trends are large-scale, long-term forces that can’t be controlled only responded to. Because these happen over many years, cans get kicked down the road until It’s too late. Is this ringing any bells?
In a 2016 IWater article I highlighted three mega-trends – the aging workforce, younger people’s lack of interest in STEM, and the sector’s low profile in the employment market – which together make a “burning platform” issue.
The electricity and gas industries having the same problems and fishing in the same talent pool, and the average WASC planning to fill 60% of its vacancies by external recruitment adds fuel to the fire.
A changing world
A forthcoming EU Skill report shows a growth in roles like Anaerobic Digestion/biogas production, on-site renewable energy production, nutrient recovery, and effluent reuse. “Significant upskilling”, anybody?
They also identified “smart” technologies for water/energy efficiency and drones and satellite imagery in catchment management as needing data specialists. These will need new standards and training programmes.
Painting a picture
The chart shows that in a typical UK WAC all the 2016 Level 3 and above employees will leave the business by 2026. Frightening isn’t it.
Worse, the leavers are the most experienced workers. Recruiting apprentices, which I fully support, won’t replace these.
And EU Skills found that the UK water companies all planned to fill their vacancies by recruiting from the labour market, usually called “poaching each other’s Staff“.
“Wage Inflation” anyone?
And the answer is….
The “let’s stop this being a problem” ship sailed 20 years ago. Today is about solving the problem as is. Mega-trends need industry-wide collaborative solutions because “a rising tide lifts all boats”.
A way forward?
Collaboration ideally needs a neutral coordinator, and the industry has such a body. The Institute of Water, who recognise the current skills gap challenges for our sector, is undertaking a major review on how it can help the sector.
As a member, I am part of that discussion and look forward to helping the Institute engage with the sector in developing the industry-wide collaborative solutions that are so desperately needed.
Thanks
Thanks to Rob Murphy, a Workforce Planning Consultant at EU Skills, for the skills data. He is happy to discuss how the Workforce Planning Model could help your business.
Finally
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, and found it useful. If you have any thoughts on the subject, please leave a coment beow.
Bob
