Overcoming Recruitment Challenges within Defence Department through Strategic Analysis

Challenge

Our defence client was encountering significant recruitment and retention challenges due to shifting demographic trends, technological advancements, and evolving societal norms. These factors threatened to create talent gaps, particularly in engineering and digital skills essential for future operational effectiveness and sustainability.

To proactively address these issues, the defence department required comprehensive data analysis to understand future workforce challenges. Key questions for the analysis included:

• Demographics: How will changes in the UK population impact recruitment by 2030?
• Educational Trends: What are the trends in educational and skills outcomes among school, college, and university leavers, especially in engineering and digital disciplines?

Butterfly Data, with support from Cranfield University, conducted the research and reported findings. This work was conducted through the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE), part of the UK Government Home Office.

Solution

Our team conducted an in-depth analysis to anticipate and address the recruitment challenges.

We collected, evaluated, and integrated open-source data to understand demographic shifts, educational trends, and societal changes. This analysis provided valuable insights into how shifts in population makeup, combined with potential skill gaps, could influence future recruitment.

Our findings were compiled into a comprehensive report, accompanied by thorough documentation, discussing educational trends, particularly in STEM subjects at GCSE and A levels, outlining skills needed for future roles, and examining the implications of demographic changes.

Impact

The analysis highlighted that the proportion of the UK population currently meeting recruitment eligibility criteria is expected to decrease, influenced by a combination of demographic shifts and changing employment preferences. However, an increase in the educated population presented new recruitment opportunities.

We identified a data gap regarding both current recruits and public attitudes towards the client, highlighting the need for enhanced communication and engagement with potential applicants.

Our recommendations included focusing on younger demographics, broadening recruitment beyond traditional STEM subjects, and updating recruitment systems to align with technological advancements.

These insights empower the defence department to make well-informed decisions to secure a resilient and capable future workforce.

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