Manpower Inc., a world leader in innovative workforce solutions, advises that unless businesses, governments and trade associations work together to develop long-term strategies to alleviate talent shortages among skilled trades, future economic growth will suffer. Worldwide, skilled trades positions are the hardest to fill, according to Manpower Inc.'s recent global Talent Shortage Survey of 35,000 employers across 36 countries and territories.
In a new World of Work Insight Paper Titled: "Strategic Migration – A Short-Term Solution to the Skilled Trades Shortage," Manpower warns that as the global economy recovers, it is necessary to implement strategic migration policies in order to create a mobile workforce and plug the gap of skilled workers. The lack of skilled blue-collar workers could impede the progress of infrastructure projects and inhibit national growth – such as transportation in India and power in Brazil, for example. It is a problem that national governments must address for the long-term to foster economic health and fuel business growth. In the meantime, increasing the mobility of these workers can help ease the talent shortage.
"As the global recovery gathers pace, cultivating future talent and alleviating the shortage of skilled workers is becoming vital to ensure economic growth," said Jeffery A. Joerres, Manpower chairman and CEO. "With unemployment high around the world, migration is an emotive subject but strategic migration will be necessary to create a global workforce and alleviate the current shortage. Countries should be developing policies which facilitate positive migration to fuel economic growth through providing skilled workers where they are needed, rather than creating barriers to immigration."
Shortages of skilled workers are acute in many of the world's biggest economies, including the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Brazil, where employers ranked skilled trades as their No. 1 or No. 2 hiring challenge, according to Manpower's 2010 Talent Shortage Survey. Strategic Migration calls for long-term, collaborative strategies to alleviate shortages of skilled workers, including promoting positive attitudes towards skilled trades work and ensuring that the technical training workers receive reflects the current demands of industry. Although migration can provide an immediate solution, these domestic policies should take priority to shape an indigenous workforce for the long term.
"Inadequate training and negative stereotypes relating to skilled trades are further fueling a dangerous shortage of skilled workers," added Joerres. "Employers and governments need to bring honor back to the skilled trades. They must look ahead to forecast their future skill demands in this area and start working to alleviate this now. Unemployment levels remain high across the globe, particularly among young people, and providing training programs while working to promote skilled trades as a viable career choice could open up these jobs to a wider talent pool, as well as helping businesses tackle their shortages effectively and sustainably."
Fewer than one in three 15-year-olds in Germany and the Czech Republic see themselves in a high-skilled blue-collar job by the age of 30, and that figure is even lower in Italy, the US and Japan, according to a survey by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
A workforce that meets the needs of businesses is vital to ensure that the global economy flourishes in the future; addressing shortages with strategic migration in the short-term and changing perceptions and training programs in the long-term is the key to creating an environment which encourages infrastructure projects and growth. While this Insight paper discusses how appropriately flexible, or strategic, migration of skilled trades workers is key to plugging a significant portion of the talent gap, it goes far beyond that. The migration constraints associated with talent mobility is an issue that affects all career fields and therefore, impacts all countries and will be one that governments around the world will need to collaborate with businesses, trade, academic and educational institutions in order to fuel healthy economic growth and prosperity in the future.
Notes
Manpower Inc. surveyed more than 35,000 employers across 36 countries and territories during the first quarter of 2010 to determine the extent in which talent shortages are impacting today's labor markets. To obtain the full Manpower Talent Shortage Survey results, click on the following link: http://www.manpower.com/ResearchCenter
In this survey, “skilled trades” refers to a broad range of job titles that require workers to possess specialized skills, traditionally learned over a period of time as an apprentice. Examples of skilled trades jobs include: electricians, carpenters, cabinet makers, masons/bricklayers, plumbers and welders.
