Aberdeen, Scotland Faces Severe Skilled Labour Shortage
Aberdeen is Scotland’s third most populous city and is also known as the Oil and Energy Capital of Europe. It is also known as the “Silver city with Grey Sands” due to its high reserves of grey granite with high mica contents due to which the granite sparkles like Silver. It was one of the five major cities which had helped the UK to climb out of recession in past years. The city has always been full of skilled labour, ample employment opportunities and higher average monthly wages. Aberdeen City and Shire was dubbed in the report by officials as the "one to watch" with its rapid growing economy, size and oil reserves.
Changing Employee Scenario
This populous port city of Scotland is now facing severe dearth of skilled labour and is posing threat to the city from becoming future global energy capital of the world. As per the recent reports from an accountant firm, the city needs nearly 122,000 skilled labour force by 2022 which is equivalent to its current labour.
Most of its skilled labour talent is now over 45 years of age which means the city is actively looking for fresh talent. A report presented a year back by Price water Coopers (PwC) has suggested creation of Aberdeen Energy Academy to bridge the gap between the academia and the industry. Currently Oil and Energy industry has largely taken over smaller industries like tourism, fisheries, mining to become one of the major sources of employment in the region.
Yet another report: “Northern Lights: One Year On” also warns that the city shoulders most of the "jobs burden" for the UK oil and gas industry.
Growing Oil and Energy Projects in Aberdeen
There are a huge number of Oil and Energy projects lined up in Aberdeen that ensures demand for skilled labour in the region for several years to come. Nearly £31 billion of investments have been done in the region in existing oil and gas fields that will see developments and technical innovations in the upcoming years.
Mark Higginson, senior partner at PwC in Aberdeen, said: "The supply of appropriately skilled labour continues to be the greatest threat to Aberdeen's ability to become a global energy centre of excellence.
According to Energy Minister of Scotland, Fergus Ewing, the Scottish government is taking up the matter serious of replenishing skilled labour in the city to capitalize on the opportunities in oil and gas sector that provide maximum opportunities for labour and growth of Scotland.
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