Yorkshire's not short of hard workers, it's short of skills.

A rich industrial heritage

Nobody works harder than folk up here in Yorkshire. We’ve a long history of grit, graft, and getting stuck in. From the steel mills of Sheffield to the textile factories of Bradford, our region has powered the nation's economy. Yet, despite our rich industrial heritage, accompanied by significant elbow grease, Yorkshire now faces a significant challenge. That challenge is the widening skills gap that's hindering productivity and economic growth, threatening to leave Yorkshire businesses behind the curve.

The data on Yorkshire’s skills gaps

A recent report by the The University of Sheffield and The Productivity Institute shows that in Yorkshire and the Humber productivity is around 15% below the national average. That’s a massive gap, and a large part of the reason is the mismatch between what employers need and what the workforce can deliver.

In some parts of South Yorkshire specifically, like Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham, only 28% of adults hold NVQ Level 4 qualifications or above, compared to the national average of 43%. That gap isn’t just academic, it plays out on factory floors, in engineering workshops, and across construction sites every day. Which is the exact reason I partner with local businesses like Rotherham based Clear Quality Limited that provide accessible learning solutions to businesses in the engineering, manufacturing and construction sectors to upskill and reskill their employees.

Male dominated sectors are at the heart of Yorkshire’s skills struggle

Nowhere is the skills gap more pronounced in Yorkshire than in sectors that are vital to our region like manufacturing, construction, and engineering. These industries still account for over 18% of jobs in Yorkshire and the Humber, compared to just 10% in London. They’re a backbone of our local economy, but they’re also heavily male-dominated, with women making up just 11% of the engineering workforce nationwide.

The perpetuated underrepresentation of women in technical and vocational roles, seriously limits the talent pool available, in addition to hindering the diversity of thought and innovation within these sectors.

The challenges don’t stop at gender. Many of these sectors are also facing:

• An ageing workforce, with a significant portion due to retire within the next 5-10 years.

• A post-Brexit talent squeeze, particularly in manufacturing, where previously EU nationals filled many skilled roles.

• Technological disruption, which demands new skills in automation, data analysis, and digital systems.

All of this is happening while these industries struggle to attract young people, especially women, into their ranks. It’s a perfect storm, and we’re already feeling the downpour.

I recently spoke with Margaret Wood of VMG Associates about the impact of gender based occupational segregation, ageism and the impact on skills gaps. You can listen to that episode here.

The impact of Brexit on our shrinking talent pool

Before Brexit, Yorkshire’s industrial and manufacturing sectors relied heavily on skilled EU workers. But now, thanks to changes in immigration laws and increased red tape, that pipeline has slowed to a trickle.

CBI (Confederation of British Industry) surveys, amongst heaps of others, show us that two-thirds of manufacturing businesses across the North of England have struggled to recruit the staff they needed post-Brexit, and continue to do so. This situation that we might perceive as a recruitment issue, actually translates as a serious productivity problem. When roles go unfilled, or staff lack the right skills, businesses lose time, output, and money.

It’s the people, performance and profit link that I am always banging on about.

This is a situation that I’ve seen play out first hand in our engineering and manufacturing sectors, and result in crisis. Specialised skills are in high demand yet they’re inaccessible due to the compounding of an ageing demographic and a historic lack of investment in said skillsets.

We’ve been busy pushing young people for the last 2 decades in to STEM degrees, and the result is an oversaturated graduate market that is disillusioned by what a ‘green’ job actually looks like in industry. And at the same time we have a complete lack of skilled physical workers to build the ‘green’ equipment!

We haven’t incentivised young people to get in to careers like fabrication and welding, and we certainly haven’t shown them what a rewarding career it can be.

Apprenticeships are a small part of a huge puzzle

Apprenticeships are brilliant when they work. But they’re not a magic fix. In fact, some SMEs across Yorkshire have told me they struggle to navigate the apprenticeship levy, or find training providers who offer the right qualifications at the right level.

There’s also a time lag, even the most promising apprentice takes years to become fully skilled. You can’t replace 20+ years of industry experience with a 2-year programme. And with the pace of change in industries like digital manufacturing and green energy, we can’t afford to wait.

What’s needed is a blended approach. Apprenticeships and young people, yes, but also upskilling current staff, retraining career changers, and tapping into underutilised talent pools like returners and women in transition.

Sounds great doesn’t it? But only if you know how to do it. Much of implementing a skills gap strategy is about culture change and engaging your workforce with it.

A bespoke solution

This isn’t a one size fits all problem, and it won’t be solved with off the shelf training programmes and apprenticeships. I will be the one to deliver the bad news too … the Government aren’t coming to save you! This problem needs a locally led, business informed, people first solution. One that recognises the unique needs of Yorkshire’s economy and workforce.

At OneSource HR, that’s exactly what we’re offering through our Skills Gaps Strategy Day.

This isn’t death by PowerPoint. It’s a roll-up-your-sleeves workshop where Yorkshire business leaders come together to:

• Identify critical skills shortages in their teams

• Explore alternative culture, training, and retention strategies

• Build a bespoke action plan tailored to their workforce and industry.

The skills gap isn’t going to close itself. It’s going to take bold thinking, collaboration, and a bit of Yorkshire bloody-mindedness. But we’ve tackled bigger problems before, and come out stronger.

Got thoughts on this topic? I love to hear them, so drop me a DM, or email me at help@onesourcehr.co.uk and let's chat.