Professionals In Short Supply And What Is Going To Fix It

Short supply of professionals is generally defined as the inability to fill up vacancies at wages that are currently being offered, with individuals who are qualified and or experienced in the field. However, this definition is not adequate since such individuals will just not be available beyond a point.

The U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada and Germany are usually the countries that show the existence or the direction of the trends. So let us have a look at some of the professionals that are already in short supply and the situation will only exacerbate and why.

Professions in demand

Healthcare professionals
The ageing population in the developed world only goes on increasing relative to those in the working age group. So apart from the obvious situation of there eventually not being enough tax payers there is already a severe shortage of healthcare professionals which will continue to grow. In 2016 there were 2.9 million nurses in the U.S. and the requirement will continue to increase to reach 3.6 million in 2026. It’s extremely unlikely the gap will be filled. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges 2032 will see a shortage of 122,000 physicians and 23,000 surgeons.

The gaps in percentage terms are similar in the U.K., Australia and Canada. Countries such as Norway, Germany, Denmark and Sweden are also beginning to feel the crunch.

Construction workers, artisans such as plumbers, joiners, masons, electricians, roof builders and also civil engineers and architects.
With the population on the increase in most parts of the world the need for housing continues to grow. These professionals are already in short supply in many parts of the developed world and now in India as well which is yet a developing country.

Teachers
This has always been known as a noble profession and at the same time teachers have always been severely underpaid. That is now changing. The U.K. and the U.S. are facing such a dearth of teachers that apart from an increase in salaries, the countries over the last few years have been importing teachers from India and the Philippines.

Engineers and software professionals
The demand continues to grow all over the world.

Designers
The shortage has already hit several countries for graphic designers, interior designers, multimedia artists, fashion designers and animators.

Chefs and restaurant staff
The population continues to increase and so does the need for eating out.

The percentage of university graduates in Europe continues to grow thanks to the free or almost free education. However, with many of the young refusing to opt for becoming tradesmen and women, professions such as masons, plumbers and electricians will see a steep decline and thus will be most in demand apart from healthcare professionals and teachers.

While the ageing population in the developed world continues to grow many of the Asian countries and the entire African continent are rich in young people. So despite what might be the political atmosphere in some countries as regards immigration the decisions in the forthcoming years are going to be obvious.

One country recently announced that they would need their working age group to work on Saturdays to meet the demands of the economy, in other words to support the social system. Well, the response from the young was anything but favourable, and understandably.

Photos: Shutterstock

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