From Waterbriefing

Future Water has flagged up the skills gap the UK water sector is currently facing and the ongoing difficulties companies are experiencing in recruitment.

As part of a new industry initiative, the industry association has conducted the first in a series of regular “check ins” with its members to reflect the challenges that industry is facing and work with regulators, utilities and the supply chain to explore how best to meet those challenges.

The industry association asked its members the following questions:

Paul Horton, Future Water CEO, said recruitment is a major issue for the whole sector:

“What is obvious at the present time is that access to people represents one of our biggest challenges.

“Not only do we need to cover off existing roles but we need to ensure new people come into the industry in sufficient number and from a range of back grounds.

“I hope that the first of our health checks have highlighted an area that needs immediate attention.”

In partnership with Future Water and other founding members across the sector, including Affinity Group, EU Skills, OFWAT and Spring, talent advisory specialists Caraffi have created a movement and action group – known as The Wave.

According to Melissa Harrison-Crowley, Head of Partnerships at Caraffi, every sector is having trouble in recruiting staff in the UK – currently with over one million open vacancies in the UK, there simply aren’t enough skilled people to fill the jobs. She commented:

“The water sector needs to urgently address their own skills shortages now and in the future by working together, to make the sector a destination employer.

“TheWave is a movement and action group set to transform the water sector as a whole into a destination employer. Because careers in the water sector are the best kept secret. A sector with strong purpose and the first to pledge to go netzero by 2030.

“Collaboration is the key. We need to do this together. We need to do this together. We’re overcoming the sector’s talent challenges through innovation, collaboration and momentum.”

Click here for details of how to apply to join TheWave