70% of the participating companies said they were in need of more skilled labour in the trade sector, with an estimated 3,800 positions required. This represents a 20% increase compared to 2019.
The majority of businesses agreed that “inadequacies” between skills and further training must be addressed, with a particular focus on technical domains. Although over 50% of craft companies said they offered staff targeted training over the past few years, the number of businesses investing in training did drop as a result of the pandemic.
The companies surveyed said that staff well-being and retention was important to them, as well as ensuring employees received appropriate salaries.
The Chamber of Trades called upon the government to carry out a detailed follow-up of labour needs in the sector, as well as future trades, as part of its future National Skills Strategy.
