Reevaluating the Skills Shortage in the Industry

The concept of an industry-led organization tasked with addressing skills shortages in the UK, as outlined in Skillfull's report, is inherently sound. The industry has long struggled to find staff with specialized skillsets, and despite various initiatives, the core problems persist. A body with broad industry support, including representation from education and government, might develop more lasting solutions. However, the report's timing is notable, coming after a year of widespread layoffs across the industry. These layoffs have damaged the skilled labor pool in two key ways. Firstly, some laid-off staff will not return to the industry, as their skills are in demand elsewhere and the instability of the games industry can be a deterrent, especially for older, more experienced staff seeking career stability. Secondly, the layoffs have discouraged young, enthusiastic potential recruits who have witnessed the instability of the industry firsthand. These issues are not new but have been exacerbated by recent events. Solving them will be complex and slow, with some necessary changes falling outside the scope of an industry skills body, such as improving staff retention through better stability and working conditions. The report highlights areas for improvement, including the low number of junior roles being advertised, indicating a lack of commitment to developing new talent and planning for future staffing needs. This 'just-in-time' hiring approach can lead to a vicious cycle where no company feels it can afford to hire and train junior staff, ultimately worsening the skills shortage. The industry faces a tragedy of the commons, where everyone wants to hire from the pool of skilled staff but no one wants to invest in training new staff. The current surplus of skilled workers due to layoffs may temporarily mask the skills shortage, but the problem will worsen when this surplus ends.