Skill development and inward investment

Worker shortages and skills shortages sit side by side. While importing labour cannot be seen as the full solution to workforce shortages, it may be the only solution several industries can adopt in order to immediately alleviate labour pressures they are feeling. Similarly, with regards to skills shortages, training alone cannot be the answer without proper solutions in place for forecasting worker shortages in the immediate and longer-term future. 

Skills shortages are also part of the questions surrounding the UK as a destination for inward investment or FDI. A huge risk to FDI into the UK is an inadequate skills infrastructure. Without being assured of staffing and skills capacity, companies will be reluctant to open new branches in the UK.