The UK’s public sector faces up to seven more years of skills shortages based on current demand, according to a new report from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

The REC’s report, ‘Public Sector 2025’, found that the public sector also faces stiff competition from the private sector especially for technology roles needed to maintain cyber security. The use of automation and artificial intelligence over the coming years will further increase the need to attract and retain technology and digital experts into the public sector.

“In order to maintain the stability of public service delivery over the next decade there needs to be an urgent evaluation of current recruitment procedures as well as the impact of post-Brexit immigration models,” the report stated.

Data in the report also showed that 10,000 EU staff have left the NHS since the EU  referendum in June 2016. The report pointed to data from jobs site Indeed, which found that interest from jobseekers in nursing roles increased by 4% compared to an 11% rise in the share of nursing roles posted. Meanwhile, interest in care roles have decreased by 8%.

In the education sector, the REC’s report showed that 47% of specialist recruiters expect teacher shortages to increase significantly over the next five years.

The REC also looked at data from its own Report on Jobs which showed that demand for IT staff sought after by both public and private sector employers is increasing month on month, with candidate availability steadily decreasing since May 2013.

Tom Hadley, the REC’s director of policy and professional services, commented, “There has never been a more important time to review workforce trends and find solutions to current and future challenges. The public and private sector are increasingly fishing in the same limited talent pool, but there are real opportunities for public sector employers to compete by focusing on purpose and progression and by streamlining hiring processes, using new technology and really listening to candidate feedback.”

 “An immediate priority is evaluating the impact that post-Brexit immigration models could have on staffing in the public sector,” Hadley said. “Employers need to take urgent action to future proof hiring procedures and workforce management to deliver quality public services.”

The REC’s report recommends four priorities for the public sector to work on to develop a high-calibre and agile workforce by 2025:

 1.  Prepare workforce plans for different Brexit scenarios and build a cadre of future public sector leaders who can navigate a fast-changing landscape.

2.     Embed flexible work across the public sector and harness external expertise to drive workforce innovation.

3.      Pre-empt the impact of AI and automation on skill needs and use technology to enhance recruitment supply chains.

4.       Lead the way on inclusive hiring and ‘good work’ in the public sector to ‘re-brand’ jobs in the public sector and attract the next generation of workers.