Firms in Halifax, Huddersfield and Wakefield are still struggling to recruit skilled workers, despite demand being high, according to new data revealed in the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s latest Quarterly Economic Report.
The results of the regional business survey, conducted as part of the wider British Chambers study, shows that more than half of service sector (55 per cent) and manufacturing firms (68 per cent) in the region attempted to recruit during quarter four of 2021.
Despite this keen attitude to recruit new talent, the majority of service sector (65 per cent) and manufacturing firms (79 per cent) experienced difficulties in identifying and acquiring the right candidates.
Martin Hathaway, managing director of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce said: “I am pleased to be seeing strong and steady sales growth showing from these results, however the ongoing skills shortages and recruitment struggles must be addressed.
“The desire to recruit is there, but firms are struggling to find suitable applicants for the positions.
“Further support is needed to help get people into the right jobs and to make training and development opportunities more accessible for those across the mid Yorkshire region.
“This will allow us to grow and enhance our workforce here in Yorkshire as we continue to recover and look ahead to future growth.”
Sir Roger Marsh OBE DL, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and NP11, added: “Labour shortages continue to be a key concern for businesses as hiring staff is proving challenging.
“The Combined Authority and LEP have recently implemented a series of new programmes to respond to identified skills and employment needs across West Yorkshire, details can be found on the Leeds City Region LEP website”
The Quarterly Economic Report is created in partnership with the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. The British Chambers Quarterly Economic Survey details the economic climate in regions across the UK, highlighting the issues and successes faced by businesses nationally.
To read the QES report in full, please visit: https://www.mycci.co.uk/get-represented/quarterly-economic-survey-qes-and-results
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