In a determined effort to close the skills gap and future-proof the Island’s workforce, the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce has replicated a successful series of Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) roundtables originally led by Hampshire Chamber. These spring 2025 discussions brought together employers from four vital sectors—Construction, Hospitality, Health and Social Care, and Logistics—to identify critical workforce challenges and practical solutions.
The roundtables revealed a shared struggle across all industries: difficulties in recruitment and retention, a shortage of local training provision, negative perceptions of certain careers, and a worrying lack of engagement with young people. Employers from haulage firms to care homes painted a stark picture of an ageing workforce and underfunded training pathways.
Key roles proving hardest to fill include chefs, specialist nurses, HGV drivers, and skilled tradespeople like electricians and roofers. Meanwhile, high-level skills such as project management, digital marketing, and leadership in care are increasingly in demand.
Despite these challenges, pockets of success have emerged. The logistics sector found TikTok effective in youth engagement, while construction firms praised proactive partnerships with schools. Apprenticeships—across all sectors—were consistently highlighted as a promising tool, especially when introduced at a younger age.
“We need to remove the stigmas surrounding some job sectors,” one participant commented, echoing a wider consensus: changing perceptions is as important as funding and training.
The LSIP initiative, backed by the Department for Education, aims to keep employers at the heart of the skills agenda. The Isle of Wight discussions have underscored the importance of collaboration between businesses, educators, and local authorities to build a workforce that meets the Island’s future needs.
As one attendee summed up: “It’s about us all working together to give young people better opportunities.”
About Hampshire Chamber of Commerce
Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is the independent voice of local business across the county and one of the largest regional business networks in the UK. With a strategic vision to ‘unlock Hampshire’s potential’, Hampshire Chamber brings together the combined influence, strength and expertise of the county’s three former major chambers. It works with over 2,000 individual firms spanning all sectors and sizes of business. Member services include training, advice, international trade documentation, events, networking opportunities and lobbying to policymakers on issues affecting business. Hampshire Chamber’s business network is designed to help any employer to grow and thrive irrespective of their stage on the enterprise journey.