NSAR undertook analysis and produced a report for the Department for Transport that outlines future skills needs across the UK transport sector.
Overview
NSAR undertook analysis and produced an independent report for the Department for Transport outlining the future skills needs across the UK transport sector and examining the sector’s challenges – including demographic trends, the impact of new technologies and the transition to net zero. It identified various actions for the sector to consider.
Process
Most of the data was sourced from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), barring those modes where more mature data was available – such as for rail, which has data from the NSAR annual Rail Workforce Survey. The data was analysed by NSAR using our Skills Intelligence Model (SIM).
Findings
The NSAR analysis in the report shows that the UK transport sector will have a shortfall of between 409,000 and 618,000 workers by 2030, primarily as a result of predicted retirement levels, the introduction of new technologies and the impact of net zero and decarbonisation on the sector.
Between 251,000 and 460,000 employees are predicted to have retired by 2030, potentially representing close to 20% of the workforce. New technologies will carry an additional demand of 62,000 new roles by 2030, over and above what already exists in the sector and an estimated 51,000 new roles will be required due to net zero demands. There are an estimated 45,000 vacancies in the sector currently.
Benefits
The continued and future success of the UK transport sector is contingent upon a skilled workforce capable of navigating the complexities of evolving technologies, sustainability imperatives and global trends. As the NSAR analysis shows, there is a need to replace a large number of the existing workforce over the next five years. This knowledge will help the sector plan accordingly to meet future demands and improve productivity.
