Skills in Demand in 2030

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 9 May, 2011.

Skills in Demand in 2030

Professionals with healthcare, infrastructure, financial services and green energy expertise will be needed to power the global economy of 2030, according to recruiting experts Hays.

In their report ‘Creating Jobs in a Global Economy, 2011-2030', compiled in partnership with economic forecaster Oxford Economics, Hays notes that the ageing population in the developed world and their attendant healthcare needs, the anticipated vast spending on infrastructure in developing countries, the continued growth and increasing sophistication of the financial services industries and the shift towards green energy will create huge demand worldwide for skilled professionals.

Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand, said, “Population, globalisation and technological advances will combine to influence the skills that will be most highly sought in New Zealand by 2030.

“Over the next 20 years New Zealand, like the rest of the ageing developed world, will likely become chronically short of health workers. By contrast, the developing world will face a period of rapid industrialisation and infrastructure construction which will create a need for skilled and experienced workers currently unavailable in sufficient numbers domestically.

“New Zealand will need to find a way to maintain our competitive edge in key industries by investing in the future skills required against a backdrop of a smaller and older pool of workers.”

According to Hays, the four key sectors or issues expected to define the skills that employers will need over the next 20 years are:

1. Financial sector

“According to our report findings, most of the growth in demand for financial sector workers will occur in countries where the sector is already large,” said Jason. “In New Zealand, demand for skilled staff in this area will remain strong.”

2. Healthcare

“The increasing number of elderly people will raise demand for healthcare professionals. Across the globe, the numbers of over 65s are forecast to increase by 446 million. Countries will need to devote increasing numbers to work in the healthcare industry or increase inward migration. As there is already a shortage of healthcare professionals worldwide, international migration may be controversial and require a coordinated response. The World Health Organisation has already introduced a code of practice on the international recruitment of health personnel.”

3. Green energy

“Climate change will lead to job creation in the development of green energy sources and in occupations needed to mitigate the impacts of global warming. In the short-term, this will include some increases in jobs to design, manufacture, install and operate the new renewable electricity generating plants. As new fuels are developed, the technology will be used in a wider range of vehicles and consumer goods, which will require new production lines or the refit of existing ones. But it is also likely to lead to job losses in industries closely connected to the generation and use of fossil fuels.”

4. Infrastructure

“The industrialisation of some of the larger emerging markets is likely to lead to the need for considerable infrastructure investment, and so significant demand for skilled labour in the construction and engineering sectors. This will require inward migration of highly-skilled temporary construction workers. These are likely to include architects, civil engineers and experienced trades people. It should also increase the demand for more permanent skilled labour in the production of engineering and mechanical goods.”

According to Hays, in all of these four cases demand for employees and for skilled workers will increase. “These four issues will obviously not be the only issues or changes to impact on the skilled labour market over the next 20 years; but they give good guides to what skills will be needed and how employers can ensure businesses’ needs are met most efficiently,” said Jason.

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

About Hays
Hays is the leading global specialist recruiting group. It is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide. It operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments.

Hays employs 7,086 staff operating from 257 offices in 30 countries across 17 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2010, Hays placed around 50,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 180,000 people into temporary assignments.

ENDS

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