IoD: Immediate solutions for recruitment required

Tuesday 28 June 2022

IoD Guernsey’s June breakfast examined Guernsey's on-going recruitment frustrations and a number of the contributing factors, such as the island’s housing dilemma.

Wendy Dorey, IoD Guernsey Chair, questioned the panel on whether there is a skills shortage, restricting legislation, and the impact on Guernsey’s GDP.

The event’s panel included Paul Hodgson, Chair of GIBA and Deputy Group Head of Trust at Butterfield Group; Victoria Oliver, President of Planning for the States of Guernsey; Paul Mason, Managing Director of RG Falla; and Rollo de Sausmarez, Founder of Beyond Strategy and expert on integrated transport.  

The panel found that the lack of skills and supply shortages are the major contributions to current delayed developments. It was estimated that the construction industry has lost 22% of its workforce in the last five years and will need to add 500 extra staff to manage the predicted demand.

Pictured: Construction is currently facing a recruitment and retention crisis locally.

Guernsey’s recruitment situation was noted as a detrimental risk to the island’s GDP and must be a focus of the current sitting States of Guernsey deputies.

It was highlighted that many of Guernsey’s young people moved to the island with their parents and are simply waiting to become ‘local’ before being eligible to buy or rent on the local market. This leaves a group of young people looking to move their skills off-island.

It was also argued whether Guernsey could follow Australia’s model of a point system for desired skills and job types.

It was said that traffic flow should also become a larger part of development planning, and the Environment & Infrastructure Committee was encouraged to work closely with the Planning Department to this end.

IoD’s July breakfast will review Guernsey’s current travel links and the possibilities and current limitations. The event will take place on Friday 22 July at the OGH.