Scottish Legal Review Briefing: CMS Scotland

Last month, CMS partnered with Scotland’s Fraser of Allander Institute to launch Skills for Today and Tomorrow, an insightful report exploring the current skills landscape as well as key demographic and technological challenges within the Scottish labour market.

The report highlights a marked increase in job vacancies and a growing mismatch between the skills available and those demanded by employers. Our research shows nearly a third of Scottish employers reporting skill-shortage vacancies, a sharp rise from 2020.

The report also focuses on education and training, citing a lack of alignment between skills taught and those required by rapidly evolving industries such as technology and renewables.

Skills for Today and Tomorrow also outlines how Scotland’s aging workforce is presenting a significant economic challenge. Important industry sectors, including construction, health care, and transport, are under threat from workforce attrition.

The impact of migration and immigration policy on the labour market is also explored. Feedback from Scotland’s businesses shows concerns that Brexit immigration restrictions are making it difficult to fill critical roles, especially in key growth sectors such as food and drink and tourism.

The report’s key findings underline the importance of creating a more agile and responsive skills system. For Scotland’s economy to excel, the lack of technical training, as well as limitations in the nurturing of soft skills, such as adaptability, creativity, and communication will need to be addressed.

Collaboration between government, industry, and academia will be a crucial part of the process. Investment in training and development will be essential in delivering the skills that businesses require today and for the future.

In making this happen, Scotland has many advantages to leverage, including a world-class education system, burgeoning tech hubs, and formidable renewables expertise.

CMS will continue to play its role – not only in highlighting the concerns of the business community, but also by supporting businesses of all sizes to circumnavigate the challenges they currently face and helping them plan for a prosperous future.