Nearly half of UK manufacturers fear post-Brexit skills crunch

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A new EEF report has found that 47 per cent of UK manufacturers are concerned about accessing the skills they require after the UK leaves the EU.

manufacturers

“Navigating Brexit: The Migration Minefield”, urges more clarity from the UK government in relation to the post-Brexit landscape. According to the report, more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of manufacturers want guidance on what the changes after March 2019 will mean for employers and their EU employees.

While the overall rate of EU workers departing the UK has eased, 17 per cent of companies reported a drop in applications from EU citizens, while 13 per cent are still seeing an increase in European workers leaving their jobs. The EEF claims that many of those employees are returning to the EU permanently, with companies struggling to recruit suitably skilled staff in the UK.

“Skills shortages are endemic in manufacturing and engineering and companies are becoming increasingly concerned about their ability to access the skills they need post-Brexit,” said Tim Thomas, director of Skills and Employment Policy at EEF.

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