There has been a lot of talk about a ‘skills crisis’ in the UK, with many businesses saying that they are struggling to find employees to fill their vacancies. This skills crisis is reportedly particularly pronounced in engineering and also affects areas such as IT and management. While these reports are often seen as bad news for British business and even the economy, it could be good news for you if you are deciding what you want to do with your life.
A lot of careers advice focuses on ideals such as finding a job that you love, following your heart and then never really having to ‘work’ a day in your life. While this is all fine advice, there is a different view that some may say is actually more realistic. Instead of looking for a career that you love why not also examine areas where there is a shortage of skilled workers?
It is all very well chasing a dream for a particular career, but if there is no work available in that field, or in the area you live, then you are stuck. It seems that a dose of reality is needed alongside such talk of chasing your dreams. If your dreams are unrealistic you may need to tone them down a little in order to get by. This is not to say that you can’t pursue them in your own time too, but there will come a point when you will need to find something you can do!
For example, if you are wanting to break into the music industry, you will need another plan so you can survive while you chase your dreams of chart success. This is not pouring water on your ambitions, but simply making sure you don’t starve while you fight to make it.
So, if you are looking for something you can do for a living, either as your career or while you wait on a dream role, then why not use the skills crisis to your advantage?
Instead of chasing work in over-subscribed areas where competition is fierce, isn’t it worth considering looking at those areas where employers are crying out for workers? Instead of facing rejection letters and a struggle to land the right role, you could be free to choose the best option from a collection of different potential employers!
In the ideal world, you will be able to match your career goals to an area where there is a shortage of skills. So, with that said, it is a matter of working out where the work is. Unfortunately you will need to research this a little bit yourself as it will very much depend on where you live. Vacancies in London, for example, are likely to differ from those in the West Country, Wales, Scotland, or the North East of England.
Look online, check out the vacancies in your local area, and get an idea of where the skills shortages are, then see if you can fill the gap!
