What this means for you… A no-deal Brexit may be causing you uncertainty, both as an individual business and in terms of the sustainability of Scotland’s economy. You may have questions such as: ■■What is the skills opportunity? ■■Where can I get support to safeguard skills in my business?


■■Will I be able to hire EU nationals in future and under what conditions?


■■Will business travel between the UK and the EU involve further administration, cost and visas?


So let’s examine these in more detail:


What is the skills opportunity? Investing in skills, and aligning the needs of your business with the supply of well-equipped young people, is crucial to productivity growth over time. The city of Glasgow alone


contributed £19.3 billion to Scotland’s economy in 2017, equivalent to just over 14 per cent of Scotland’s output in that year. While the economy is still


projected to expand over the next few years, it is expected to do so at a relatively fragile pace. The FAI’s latest forecast for growth in Scotland for 2020 is 1.4 per cent. However, we do have some


real advantages. Our business community can boast about a skilled workforce, a strong policy environment, a vibrant support community and key strengths in sectors such as professional services, financial services, tourism and advanced manufacturing. We also have an outstanding


higher and further education community from which businesses and other organisations can draw a highly skilled workforce. Initiatives such as the establishment of the new National Manufacturing Institute and the country’s first innovation district in the city are examples of a positive approach to collaborative working between the public sector, universities and industry. Climate change, automation,


demographic change – the growth of new markets all create significant risks but also opportunities for your business.


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Forecasts for the composition of the Glasgow economy in 2027 by occupation (source: Skills Development Scotland)


Science & technology profs Corporate managers


Managers / proprietors in agri & services


Teaching & research profs Health profs


Health & social welfare assoc profs Science & technology assoc profs Business & public service profs


Protective service occs


Business & public service assoc profs Culture, media & sports occs


Skilled metal & electrical trades Skilled agricultural trades Secretarial & related occs Administrative occs


Caring personal service occs Skilled construction & building trades


Sales occupations


Customer service occupations Leisure & other personal service occs Textiles, printing & other skilled trades


Elementary occs: trades, plant & store Transport & mobile machine drivers Process, plant & machine operatives


Elementary occs: clerical & services 1 2 3 Change in number of workers, 000s


Glasgow’s workforce Around half of people working in the Glasgow area live in the city, which also acts as an economic hub for workers living in neighbouring regions. Data suggests that those commuting in for work tend to be in higher skilled occupations. Glasgow’s population is changing


rapidly. In 2016, its working age population (16-64) made up around 66 per cent of the total, with those aged 16-29 – the youth labour market – accounting for 19 per cent. In comparison to other cities,


Glasgow’s population is slightly older, with higher proportions of individuals approaching, or already of, retirement age. The number of people of working age is projected


to fall in the decades to come. For the skills system this has


two main implications. Firstly, it will mean a requirement to focus on providing young people with the abilities to meet the inevitable replacement demand that will emerge in the years ahead. Secondly, there will need to be a


focus upon how older workers can continue to make a contribution to the economy, including mentoring and providing support for their younger compatriots in the labour force. One advantage that Glasgow has


over other locations lies in the high number of young people choosing to come to the city to live and study. This can be used as a means of tackling its demographic dynamics.


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www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com 11


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