In the first instalment of this mini-series, we offered an overview of the factors causing concern within the industry. In Part 2, we explore the strategies available to organisations eager to bridge the skills gap.

 

 

 

The urgency of the skills shortage will require hiring managers and procurement leaders to challenge their business-as-usual mentality, searching for skills beyond traditional talent sources.

 

Underrepresented talent: Women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities are chronically underrepresented in STEM-related roles. A few key statistics paint a worrying picture:

 

 

But searching for skills represents just one part of a complex puzzle. Piecing together a more diverse talent network will require organisations to also examine the scope of their attraction, onboarding and development strategies. This could include auditing previous advertisements for unconscious bias, publicly committing your company to ambitious equity targets and engaging with alternative communities and talent platforms to ensure that these individuals, once identified, are offered every opportunity to thrive.

 

Cross-border skills: The workforce of tomorrow is set to be ‘far more fluid and globalised’ than ever before. The connectivity enabled by technology and the soaring popularity of digital nomads holds promise for skills-short organisations.

 

Specific to the Civil Engineering sector, the similarity of infrastructure and technologies across water networks in the Netherlands, Germany, Australia and the UK, for example, means that individuals trained to operate in these regions could quickly deploy their skills across multiple countries.

 

Engaging individuals across regions may bring with it more complex tax and worker classification regulations. Organisations will need to quickly get to grips with how they define, monitor and manage these teams, or risk severe financial and reputational repercussions.

 

 

 

We’ve previously discussed how organisations are losing out on critical expertise, as rival Technology and Financial industries with attractive Employer Value Propositions, competitive salaries and increased flexibility are best placed to compete for a finite supply of skills.

 

But in the face of rising economic uncertainty across the globe, the Civil Engineering sector could ‘cash in’ on its relative stability. The UK government, for example, has earmarked £650 billion to be invested in infrastructure projects over the next decade, supporting 425,000 jobs annually until 2025.

 

How organisations tell this story as part of a holistic brand strategy that incorporates their Environmental, Social and Governance practices will be critical in attracting skills and expertise.

 

 

 

The lack of available expertise is forcing organisations to reimagine how work gets done – with exciting outcomes for the future of our workforce strategies.

 

Advancements in automation and machine learning are prompting questions around not just who completes the work, but how best it can be completed.

 

The Civil Engineering sector could leverage key learns from other high-demand industries, including healthcare. With a projected shortfall of 9.9 million physicians, nurses and midwives globally by 2030, there is an urgent need to ensure the capacity of the current workforce is used ‘where it adds most value – caring for patients.’

 

While AI solutions are currently targeting the ‘low-hanging fruit’ of routine and repetitive administrative tasks, the volume of data being collected and the speed of innovation means that supporting home-based care and shaping clinical practice and decision-making are very real outcomes over the next decade.

 

By adopting a task-focused mindset, companies can unbundle and re-bundle roles to ensure physical resource is deployed when cognitive skills are required, while implementing technological capabilities to complete time-consuming tasks. Optimising the available talent supply within their organisation will require a significant change in mindset, but holds the promise of increased efficiency and the retention of high-value talent.

 

 

 

The lack of available and appropriate expertise will require education systems and government regulators to consider how the next generation can be engaged – and prepared – for the world of work.

 

But organisations will also be required to play their part in ‘selling’ Civil Engineering. Expanding their search beyond traditional talent networks, strengthening the appeal of their industry and leveraging technology to optimise resource will support in bridging critical skills gaps.

 

Let’s turn intention into action. Contact the team at Enterprise Solutions to discuss how we can support the development of your workforce strategy.