Skill Shortages in a Local Labour Market—the Coventry Case

Abstract

While unemployment is reaching new post‐war record levels, concern is being expressed about apparent skill shortages in established occupations in many local labour market areas. In Coventry, for example, employment in the engineering industry fell by 9,500 between 1971 and 1976 whilst simultaneously personnel managers were expressing concern about problems in filling vacancies. A number of indicators have been examined to determine whether a shortage situation does exist in the Coventry area and proposals to remedy the situation found are suggested. Attention is also drawn to the implications for general employment prospects in the local economy if action is not taken.