What are the skills gaps and shortages?
Skills gaps and shortages exist across the radio industry, but the picture is quite complex - not least because of the very different business models operating in each sector and the diverse range of occupations employed. While it is possible to identify common themes, their significance varies between the sectors - and some gaps and shortages are largely sector-specific.
Job vacancies in the industry are not generally hard to fill as there is no shortage of people wishing to work in most areas of radio - but employers report varying levels of concern about the quality of applicants they see, particularly at entry level.
The common skills shortages identified within particular occupational groups range from radio specific skills to general management, business and IT skills. But there is a particular shared concern about the shortage of radio engineers with the breadth of skills and versatility to meet the demands of a changing industry.
Examples of more sector-specific issues would be the shortage of specialist marketing and sales skills for commercial radio, or social enterprise management skills such as fundraising for community radio.
Given the speed of change in the industry it is not surprising that most employers perceive gaps between the existing skills of their workforce and the skills needed to meet future business objectives. Even here there are major differences between sectors, but the gaps identified are related to the need for an increasingly adaptable workforce at all levels, able to continuously acquire new skills and knowledge and to understand the bigger picture - the context in which changes are happening in radio and across the media landscape.
So these skills gaps range from the high end business management and leadership skills needed to develop and drive creative and commercial strategy, to a variety of creative and technical content production skills which need constantly updating in the light of emerging technologies. And as those emerging technologies drive further change the commercial radio sector in particular is anticipating future skills gaps to emerge.
The evidence supporting this summary comes from extensive consultation with industry in 2007, and draws upon Skillset research collected in 2005-06. For more information about the Radio Industry Skills Strategy please visit Radio Skills Strategy 2007 Consultation.
For more information on the radio sector, please visit Skillset's Research pages.