The CIA’s ChemTalent Annual Survey, which gathers insights from early-career professionals across the chemical industry, highlights the importance of providing young people with first-hand experience as early as possible and the crucial role this can play in bridging the skills gap. Lucy Jones ESG Reporting Specialist, Croda International Plc and ChemTalent Representative shares insights on this report.
Tackling the Skills Gap
ChemTalent is a network of early-career professionals working in chemical and pharmaceutical businesses across the UK. As the future of our industry, the ChemTalent Annual Survey aims to understand the views of the network, gaining insight into major challenges along with suggestions to address these. The skills gap was identified as the most significant issue our industry is facing; 80% of respondents are concerned about the technical and transferrable skills gap between the experienced workforce and those at the beginning of their career. This can be broken down into:
1. A shortage of people joining the industry, compounded by the retirement of experienced professionals.
2. A disparity between the education of students leaving school, college or university and the skillset required for roles in the chemicals sector. As an early careerist, I recognise that bridging the skills gap is essential for the chemical industry to secure its position as a leader in sustainability, innovation and workforce development.
My experience engaging with peers highlights three key recommendations:
1. A Unified and Targeted Approach to Outreach
Collaboration between companies is required to market the chemical industry. At Secondary School age, over 50% of survey respondents were unaware of career opportunities within the chemical industry. By working together to present the chemical industry as a solution provider, demonstrating the fundamental role it plays in progressing the sustainability agenda and promoting the variety of career pathways available, we can engage and attract more young people.
We must also target our approach to ensure STEM and Outreach initiatives deliver maximum impact. Providing pupils with experience in a company is a great way to achieve this – something I have seen fi rsthand during visits facilitated by the Centre for Industry Education Collaboration. Hosting a class of pupils may not be viable for all locations, so o ering teacher visits is a valuable alternative. Teachers have fed back on the benefi ts of site visits, enabling them to make connections between the curriculum and its application within industry.
2. Offering Varied Routes into the Chemical Industry
More opportunities for students to acquire industry experience are required across all levels of education. I fi rst experienced the chemicals sector during university, through a summer internship and industrial placement year – both of which signifi cantly contributed to my decision to pursue a career in industry. Beyond attracting people to join our sector, apprenticeships and placements provide students with a practical application of their studies, enabling them to expand their skillset and build up a strong foundation for future roles. However, over 60% of survey respondents feel there is not enough support for young people looking to gain experience in the chemical industry.
Apprenticeships spanning several years are not always a feasible o ering for companies, so shorter placements (12 months or less) can be a valuable alternative – with universities reporting that more opportunities are needed to satisfy student demand. Such placements are more common in other countries – while working in the Netherlands I observed a large offering at both college and university level, with students studying business, marketing and fi nance as well as STEM acquiring experience within chemical companies. We should also consider what more can be done to provide pupils with industry-relevant skills before they leave school. Perhaps this would stem from reforms to the UK education system to focus more on the practical side of learning, better equipping students with skills to support a career in the STEM sector.
3. Providing an Inclusive Environment to Develop
Once people join the chemical industry, supporting them to develop their talent is crucial. A lack of development and career progression opportunities were identifi ed as key reasons that survey respondents have considered leaving roles in the chemical industry. Issues around culture and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) were also identifi ed as push factors, demonstrating the importance of companies fostering an inclusive work environment, where everyone has the opportunity to fulfi l their potential. A greater focus on ED&I is integral to improving talent retention across our sector, especially for under-represented groups. By factoring ED&I into planning and decision-making, companies can take steps to reduce the ‘leaky pipeline’ of diverse talent from our industry.
Lucy Jones
ESG Reporting Specialist, Croda International Plc | ChemTalent Representative
ChemTalent Survey Report
The ChemTalent Annual Survey 2024 highlights critical challenges facing the chemical industry, including the skills gap, sustainability, and diversity. These issues, identified by younger generations entering and working in the industry, pose significant threats to the sector’s long-term growth and global competitiveness.
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