Employer Skills Survey 2024 - Scotland

Skill-shortage vacancies

This chapter explores the proportion of employers with vacancies at the time of the survey, and if they experienced difficulties filling these vacancies. It looks at instances where these difficulties were caused by a lack of skilled applicants, and the impact that this had on employers.

Vacancies

“Vacancy incidence” refers to the proportion of sites reporting at least one vacancy at the time of the survey. Overall, just under one in five employers in Scotland (19%) had a vacancy at the time of the survey. This represented a decrease from the 2022 survey, when a quarter (25%) of employers reported having a vacancy, though remained well above the figure of 11% seen in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2024 figure is in line with 2017 levels (20%), which was the last data point in the series before the pandemic. Overall, there were 74,700 vacancies across Scotland in 2024.

Vacancy incidence was highest in the Education (36%), Health and Social Work (35%) and Public Administration (28%) sectors and lowest in Financial Services and Primary Sector and Utilities (8% and 10% respectively). The largest decreases in vacancy incidence were in the Hotels and Restaurants (18% vs. 30% in 2022) and Health and Social Work (35% vs. 44% in 2022) sectors. By ROA region, the highest vacancy incidence was in Glasgow (24%), while the lowest was in the Borders Region (12%).

“Vacancy Density” refers to the number of vacancies as a percentage of total employment. This figure was 3.0% in 2024, meaning that for every 100 people employed in Scotland there were 3 vacancies. This was a decrease on the equivalent 4.8% figure in 2022 but remained above the 1.9% figure in 2020.

As in 2022, despite a higher incidence of vacancies among medium-to-large employers with 100 or more employees (72%), they had the smallest vacancy density of all size categories, with vacancies representing 2.4% as a proportion of their overall employment; for comparison, those with 2 to 4 staff had a vacancy density of 3.9%. The size of this gap between the smallest and largest employers in vacancy density has narrowed since 2022, where the corresponding results were 3.9% for employers with 100 or more employees and 7.1% for those with 2 to 4 employees. The reduction in vacancy density from 7.1% in 2022 to 3.9% in 2024 for sites with 2 to 4 employees was the largest of all size groups.

By sector, the Information and Communications (5.3%), Transport and Storage (3.7%) and Hotels and Restaurants (3.6%) sectors reported the highest vacancy densities, while the lowest was in Education (1.8%).

Further data on the incidence and density of vacancies, as well as corresponding historic results from 2017, 2020 and 2022, can be found in Tables 3 to 8 of the Background Tables.

Hard-to-fill vacancies

Just over half (52%) of sites with vacancies reported that they had at least one vacancy which was proving hard to fill, a decrease compared with 2022 when the figure stood closer to two thirds of employers (64%). This equates to 10% of all sites in Scotland, with employers reporting a total of 32,700 hard-to-fill (HTF) vacancies.

HTF vacancy density (calculated as hard-to-fill vacancies as a proportion of all vacancies) was 44% in 2024, a decrease compared with the figure 55% in 2022. Smaller employers with 2 to 4 employees had the highest HTF vacancy density in 2024 (60%), while the largest employers with 100 or more employees had the lowest (31%).

Employers in the Primary Sector and Utilities (53%), Transport and Storage (51%) and Wholesale and Retail (51%) sectors had the highest HTF vacancy density, while it was lowest in the Public Administration (26%) and Education (35%) sectors.

Further data on the incidence and density of hard-to-fill vacancies, as well as corresponding historic results from 2017, 2020 and 2022, can be found in Tables 9 to 13 of the Background Tables.

When looking at the causes behind HTF vacancies, employers were most likely to report low numbers of applicants with the required skills (28%) (one of the components that qualifies as a skill-shortage vacancy, discussed further in ‘Skill-shortage vacancies). This was followed by not enough people being interested in the type of work (19%), low numbers of applicants generally (16%) and poor terms and conditions offered (15%).

Compared with 2022, sites in Scotland were less likely to cite low numbers of applicants generally (16% in 2024 vs. 29%), factors related to COVID-19 (1% vs. 11% in 2022) and Brexit making it more difficult to recruit European Union (EU) nationals (5% vs. 8% in 2022). Generally, reasons related to the quantity of candidates decreased from 49% in 2022 to 35% in 2024. Conversely, employers were more likely to report a lack of work experience (11% in 2024 vs. 7% in 2022) and generally cite reasons relating to the quality of candidates (45% vs. 37%).

Skill-shortage vacancies

Skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) refer to vacancies which are hard to fill because of difficulties finding applicants with the required skills, knowledge and/or experience. Looking at the level of SSVs in the market is a good indicator of skill supply issues in an area.

Just over a third (36%) of employers with vacancies reported at least one vacancy that was hard to fill due to a skill-shortage issue. This equates to 7% of all sites having SSVs (SSV incidence), together reporting a total of 20,000 SSVs. The proportion of all vacancies that are considered skill-shortage vacancies (SSV density) was 27%.

The 7% SSV incidence figure marks a decrease from 10% in 2022. The SSV density figure of 27% was also a decrease from 31% in 2022 but still above the 21% figure seen in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The incidence of skill-shortage vacancies was highest in the Tayside and West Lothian ROA regions in 2024. In 2022 it was highest in Edinburgh and Lothians. Density of skill-shortage vacancies was highest in the West Lothian ROA region in 2024.

Figure 4: Incidence and density of skill-shortage vacancies by ROA region, 2024

Base: All sites in Scotland (2022: 5,207; ROA regional base sizes range from 165 in the Borders Region to 777 in the Highlands and Islands Region. 2024: 5,080; ROA regional base sizes range from 150 in the Borders Region to 690 in the Highlands and Islands Region). Base for density figures: Sites with vacancies (2024: 1,375; base sizes by ROA region vary from 43 in the Dumfries and Galloway Region to 196 in the Glasgow Region). **Density for the Borders region not shown for the Borders region due to low sample size. “Regions” refer to ROA regions – see “Definitions” section of this report for more detail.

Larger sites were more likely to report having SSVs than smaller ones in 2024; just under a quarter (23%) of sites with 100 or more staff had at least one SSV, compared to 3% of those with 2 to 4 staff.

By sector, sites in Manufacturing and Education were most likely to have at least one SSV (both 12%). Incidence of SSVs was least common among employer in the of Public Administration sector (2%).

As in 2022, smaller sites reported a higher SSV density than larger sites (37% of those with 2 to 4 employees compared to 14% of those with 100 or more employees). This was an even more marked difference than in 2022, when the figures stood at 39% and 25% respectively.

Further size and sector breakdowns, as well as corresponding historic results from 2020 and 2022, can be found in Tables 14 to 19 of the Background Tables.

The density of skill-shortage vacancies for each occupation is shown in Figure 5. Skilled Trades occupations (60%) had the highest SSV density and also saw the largest increase in SSV density compared with 2022 (up from 49%). The lowest SSV density was for Sales and Customer Services occupations (11%) and Elementary Occupations (14%).

The largest decrease in SSV density occurred in Administrative and Secretarial occupations, from 32% in 2022 to 18% in 2024.

Density of skill-shortage vacancies was highest for Skilled Trades occupations, which also saw the largest increase in SSV density in 2024 compared with 2022.

Figure 5: Density of skill-shortage vacancies by occupation: 2024 compared to 2022

Base: All sites with skill-shortage vacancies in Scotland (2022: 727; occupational base sizes range from 128 for Managers to 381 for Skilled Trades Occupations. 2024: 497; occupational base sizes range from 78 for Managers to 285 for Professionals).

Skills lacking in the available labour market

Employers were asked which skills they perceived to be lacking among applicants.

These were grouped into two broad categories:

• technical and practical skills, which are specific to the particular function of the job role; and
• people and personal skills, which are the “softer”, less tangible skills required to manage oneself and interact with other people in the workplace.

When grouping specific technical and practical skills lacking (more information about how these grouped reasons have been defined can be found in the full UK report, which will be available on the Department for Education’s (DfE) website in late 2025), more than half of SSVs (53%) were due, at least in part, to a lack of complex analytical skills, including specifically solving complex problems (43%) or complex numerical or statistical skills (30%). The prevalence of lacking complex analytical skills had increased from 2022, when they accounted for 46% of SSVs. It replaced operational skills (as the most common broad set of skills lacking (48% of SSVs in 2024). Lacking operational skills included a lack of knowledge of products or services offered (40% of SSVs) and a lack of knowledge about how the organisation works (35% of SSVs).

Around two in five (40%) of SSVs were attributed, in part, to a lack of basic skills, covering basic numerical and IT skills (each a contributing factor for 25% of SSVs).

The most common specific technical skill identified by employers in Scotland to be lacking among applicants for vacancies was specialist skills or knowledge required for the role (65%, up from 57% in 2022).

In 2024 there was a notable increase in the proportion of employers reporting that their SSVs were caused by a lack of creative and innovate thinking (42% vs. 34% in 2022) and complex numerical or statistical skills (30% vs. 24%).

Overall, the proportion of SSVs affected by a lack of technical or practical skills in 2024 (87%) was similar to 2022 (84%).

Lack of specialist skills or knowledge was the most common technical and practical skill lacking for skill-shortage vacancies.

Figure 6: Technical and practical skills lacking among applicants to vacancies classed as skill-shortage vacancies among those followed up in 2024 (prompted)

Base: All sites with skill-shortage vacancies in Scotland (497). Figures shown are based on SSVs for 2 occupations randomly selected for each site. For example, “specialist skills or knowledge” was lacking among applicants for 65% of SSVs followed up. Respondents were able to select multiple skills for these questions; as such grouped skills will not equal the total of the individual skills included in that grouping.

A lack of digital skills contributed to three in ten (31%) SSVs, including a quarter (25%) attributed to a lack of basic IT skills and a fifth (20%) to a lack of advanced or specialist IT skills. Employers who identified lacking digital skills (either basic or more complex) were followed up to ask which specific digital skills were lacking. The most common were basic Microsoft Office application skills (39% of digital SSVs); foundation digital skills, including examples such as turning on devices, typing and changing passwords (28%) and advanced Microsoft Office skills (16%). This figure for lacking advanced Microsoft Office Skills was the only notable increase from 2022 (up from 6%).

Looking at people and personal skills lacking and the broader groups of skills contributing to skill-shortage vacancies, the most common skills lacking were self-management skills (54% of SSVs, the same proportion as in 2022). This comprised the two most common specific skills lacking: applicants not being able to manage their own time and prioritise tasks (46%) and manage their own feelings or those of others (38%).

Around two fifths (43%) of SSVs were caused due to a lack of management and leadership skills. The most common management or leadership skill to be lacking was managing or motivating staff (34% of SSVs). Sales and customer service skills were lacking for two fifths (39%) of SSVs; predominantly this was customer handling skills lacking (34%).

Overall, there was a decrease in the proportion of SSVs affected by a lack of people and personal skills (66% in 2024 vs. 72% in 2022).

(More information about how these groups have been defined (both technical and practical skills and people and personal skills) can be found in the full UK report, which will be available on DfE’s website.)

The most common people or personal skill lacking was applicants being able to manage their own time and task prioritisation.

Figure 7: People and personal skills lacking among applicants to vacancies classed as skill-shortage vacancies among those followed up in 2024 (prompted)

Base: All sites with skill-shortage vacancies in Scotland (497). Figures shown are based on SSVs for 2 occupations randomly selected for each site. For example, “managing own time and task prioritisation” was lacking among applicants for 46% of SSVs followed up.

Full comparisons to previous years’ data for skills lacking among applicants can be found in Tables 20 to 22 of the Background Tables.

The impact of skill-shortage vacancies on employers

Almost all (97%) employers that had experienced hard to fill vacancies that were entirely a result of skill shortages said these had an impact on their organisation. This was the same proportion as in 2022.

The most common impact of SSVs was an increased workload for other staff, reported by 86% of sites where all their hard-to-fill vacancies were caused at least in part by skill-shortages, the same proportion as in 2022. For one in ten (10%) of these sites, this was the only impact of SSVs on their organisation, again the same proportion as in 2022. Other common impacts were meeting customer service objectives (53%), experiencing increased operating costs (47%), and losing business or orders to competitors (45%) as shown in Figure 8. There were no notable differences compared with 2022.

Full comparisons to previous years’ data for the impact of SSVs can be found in Table 23 of the Background Tables.

The most common impact of skill-shortage vacancies on sites was an increased workload for existing staff.

Figure 8: Impact of skill-shortage vacancies, 2024 compared with 2022 (prompted)

Base: All sites in Scotland with hard-to-fill vacancies that are all as a result of skill shortages (2024: 453; 2022: 602).