On November 9, 2023, following the King’s Speech, Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), shared her insights, highlighting the significance of skills development and international trade deals.
While Bowers acknowledged that the King’s Speech didn’t unveil any significant surprises, she stressed the continued importance of prioritising skills development in the national agenda.
Bowers underscored the necessity of forging international trade agreements with burgeoning economies, emphasising the need for provisions facilitating the movement of people to support skills acquisition and development.
She pointed out a notable gap in existing agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which predominantly focus on goods trade and lack sufficient measures for skills development.
In her remarks, Bowers advocated for incorporating recruitment considerations into trade discussions and urged policymakers to ensure that new agreements address the imperative of skills access and development.
With a nod to the UK’s aspiration for access to dynamic talent pools globally, Bowers emphasised the importance of establishing mechanisms that enable seamless engagement with contract and temporary workforces across borders.
Looking ahead, Bowers expressed eager anticipation for further details in the forthcoming Autumn Statement, particularly regarding the government’s strategies for facilitating skills access and development.
While she welcomed the commitment to enhancing high-quality training and education in the long term, Bowers cautioned that the benefits of these initiatives might take time to materialise.
To address immediate skills gaps, she advocated for bolstering the flexible labour market.
Moreover, Bowers proposed comprehensive reforms to the Apprenticeship Levy, advocating for its utilisation in funding shorter, more adaptable modular training programmes tailored to diverse demographics, including 18–24-year-olds, career transitiioners, and older workers.
She also recommended a tailored approach to the Levy, whereby funds could be allocated to support regional and sector-specific skills development initiatives, particularly targeting hard-to-reach demographics and sectors grappling with labor shortages.
Nuclear energy recruiter responds to the King’s Speech
Dan Don, Head of Nuclear at Astute, echoed Bowers’ King’s Speech sentiments on the pivotal role of a flexible workforce in the nuclear energy sector.
He said, “As a nuclear energy sector recruitment specialist, I wholeheartedly agree with Tania on the importance of a flexible workforce.
“The nuclear industry, like many technical sectors, faces increased demands for specialists, and technical skills shortages continue to be a challenge.
“The ongoing skills shortages across the nuclear sector is one of the foremost reasons we have seen such exceptional demand for contractors, especially Process Engineer, EC&I Engineer, Project Manager (SC/DV cleared) professionals.
“To effectively address these shortages, businesses need to be able to tap into a dynamic talent pool both domestically and internationally.
“This will ensure that our industry can thrive and meet the ever-growing demand for expertise in nuclear energy.
“We welcome the focus on skills development and look forward to collaborative efforts in shaping a brighter future for the nuclear sector.”
In summary, Bowers and Don’s remarks on the King’s Speech underscored the pressing need for prioritising skills development and fostering a flexible labour market to meet the evolving demands of various sectors, including nuclear energy.
They called for proactive measures to address skills shortages through international collaboration and targeted reforms, reflecting a shared commitment to ensuring the sustainability and growth of key industries.
Click here to view all of Astute’s latest nuclear energy jobs.
Other nuclear energy recruitment blogs you may enjoy
- 10 questions to as a nuclear recruitment agency
- Nuclear contract job opportunities
- The advantages of nuclear energy
- Nuclear fuels jobs creation
- What is nuclear engineering?
- Why are nuclear EC&I Technicians so scarce in the UK?
About the author
James Leslie joined Astute in June 2023 as Head of Marketing.
A qualified journalist James has worked within the education, charity and recruitment sectors and has a degree in history from Queen’s University Belfast.
If you enjoyed this blog on the King’s Speech, you can connect with James on LinkedIn.
