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Lifelong Learning UK is calling on higher education institutions to continue tackling their skills shortages, despite recent figures showing an overall fall in the UK unemployment rate.

Findings from a new preliminary report suggests that HEIs will have to be even more flexible in adapting and developing current skills sets to mirror the changing needs of  learners. Lifelong Learning UK's Occupational Map for the Higher Education Sector, identifies the current skills shortages among academics, managers and non-academic professionals in higher education across the UK.

The top four areas of skills shortages in higher education are:

• Change management
• Project management
• Leadership capacity and capabilities
• Commercial, business and entrepreneurial skills

HR Directors interviewed for the project confirmed that while budget cuts and spending restraints are a significant reality, training and development is still seen as a long-term priority. The report reveals that HEIs are focusing on the development of existing roles to take account of emerging skills needs as well as developing new roles. In addition, the recession has attracted new talent in traditionally hard to fill posts such as IT, where previously candidates have been able to earn higher salaries in other industries.

Click here to download the Occupational Map for Higher Education Sector: Preliminary Findings report (PDF 356kb).

We are currently consulting with stakeholders on the preliminary report to ensure it captures the most pressing issues of today's higher education workforce. Feedback should be sent to Marie Garnett, LLUK HE Constituency Manager, by email at mariegarnett@lluk.org.