Skill shortages put prosperity at risk

Citation

(2001), "Skill shortages put prosperity at risk", Education + Training, Vol. 43 No. 8/9. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2001.00443hab.017

Skill shortages put prosperity at risk

Skill shortages put prosperity at riskKeywords: Skills shortages, Economic growth, Science, Technology, Skills, Europe

Europe's prosperity is at risk if its supply of graduate science and technology skills does not meet market needs, says the Institute for Employment Studies (IES). IES research for the European Commission reveals selective shortages in areas such as information technology, and the underuse of expensively-developed skills such as life sciences and some areas of engineering. The research also reveals fundamental problems in the available information about the supply and demand of these skills. Richard Pearson, IES director, and an author of the report, commented: "Knowledge about the flows of scientists and technologists into and out of higher education, in employment and around the EU is inadequate. The effective operation of these critical labour markets, with skill shortages co-existing with oversupply, requires better information. The establishment of a European science and technology observatory would be a significant first step, building on our research, to monitor and report regularly on the key trends."

The research reveals that the numbers of research scientists and engineers in Europe grew from 500,000 in 1985 to 800,000 in 1995. Germany, France and the UK accounted for almost two-thirds. There is no evidence to support theories of a "brain drain" from the EU. Most research-and-development employers still recruit from their own countries. Employers are increasingly looking for recruits with personal and technical skills. The ability to communicate, adaptability, problem solving and business awareness are cited as important.

In some countries, unemployment among newly-qualified scientists and technologists has been relatively high. Underemployment and underuse of skills, particularly for some engineers and life-science graduates, is found in Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, and at doctoral level, in France.

Assessing the Supply and Demand for Scientists and Technologists in Europe, is by R. Pearson et al., IES Report 377, 2001, ISBN 185184306X, price £40.