Young people are increasingly drawn to “AI-proof” trade jobs, while employers are placing greater emphasis on interpersonal skills, according to business leaders.
Jambu Palaniappan, chief executive of Checkatrade, said tradespeople were typically older, with a large proportion over the age of 50, while fewer young people have been entering the industry.
“That’s changing now, where people are really interested in an AI-proof job,” he told the Press Association. “And I think the trades industry will really benefit from that.
Growing interest in vocational training
“There is clearly more openness to pursuing skills-based and vocational training and apprenticeships to support those careers. It’s not just about ‘university or nothing’.
“We see a lot of ambition amongst young people in terms of entering the industry, but I think what’s missing a little bit is connecting the dots with the actual opportunities.”
Checkatrade’s recent survey found that 48% of young people, aged between 16 and 25, were considering a trade career, but 12% of trade businesses took on an apprentice last year. Furthermore, 80% said AI has made them worried about office-based job security.
New technical education routes
Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently unveiled plans for new technical education routes for 14-year-olds in a bid to tackle youth unemployment, such as manufacturing, clean energy, life sciences and construction.
Recent official figures showed the number of vacancies in the UK jobs market fell to a fresh five-year low in the three months to July.
Mr Palaniappan said the country has “a really acute trade shortage”, adding: “Britain needs over one million new tradespeople to enter the industry just to keep up with existing demand over the next decade.” But he pointed to investments being made into areas such as housebuilding and energy transition.
Employers prioritise adaptability
Meanwhile, recruitment agency Hays said it was prioritising a handful of specialisms that it thinks are the key to driving business growth, including construction and property, engineering and life sciences. Global chief executive Mark Dearnley said the focus reflected “mega trends that we see globally” in the jobs market.
The boss added that more businesses were seeing “interpersonal skills” as even more important when it comes to hiring. He told PA: “As hard skills develop more quickly, actually having people who are curious and want to learn new skills and are open to adapt becomes a much more important thing than having someone who knows how to do it today. What you want is people who are curious, willing to learn, and who can work with other people.”
