If it is to continue to thrive it must not only retain this large workforce but also attract a pipeline of quality new talent – no mean feat when the sector is in the grip of an unprecedented skills shortage. Faced with a lack of candidates with proven plastics experience, one plastics company has taken a different approach to staff recruitment and retention. SME technical trade moulder Broanmain is investing in people with engineering skills who display a willingness to make a difference. The improvements to the business have been swift…
The scale of the problem
The plastics industry is suffering from a severe skills shortage – 92% of companies are ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about the lack of skills supporting their business, and 46% have reported difficulty recruiting. Add to this the fear that Brexit could see many of the 18,000+ EU plastics workers leave the UK, and it’s clear that businesses need to take action now to future-proof their operations.
The problem is being compounded by the fact that the skills shortage is not confined to one particular area of the workforce. Research from the British Plastics Federation found unfilled vacancies at every level, from apprentices and shop floor staff, to technicians, managers and engineers. Companies must therefore address not only their immediate vacancies, but also how the skills shortage is affecting the morale of their existing workforce, their business productivity, and their plans for future succession.
