What are the skills gaps and shortages?
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 continuously to 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.
For more information on the radio sector, please visit Skillset's Research pages.
