New data reveals rising skills gaps, low AI adoption, and declining apprenticeships in the North West.

The Employer Skills Survey 2024 (ESS) paints a mixed picture for Northern Ireland’s workforce and a clear challenge for the North West. While overall skills shortages have eased slightly since 2022, Derry and Strabane continue to face rising gaps in digital capability, innovation, and creative thinking.

Vacancies across Northern Ireland have fallen to 29,900, with just 25% now classed as skills-shortage vacancies, down from 35% two years ago. Yet in the West, skills gaps have increased from 9% to 13%, suggesting that employers continue to struggle to attract or retain the right talent, particularly in sectors like manufacturing, education, and professional services.

One of the most concerning trends is the decline in apprenticeship engagement. Only 17% of employers in Northern Ireland currently offer apprenticeships, and just 24% plan to in the future, down from 32% in 2022. For a region like the North West, dominated by small and medium-sized businesses, this is a missed opportunity to expand home-grown talent pipelines, reduce youth out-migration, and strengthen long-term workforce resilience.

Digital adoption, particularly around Artificial Intelligence, remains limited. Just 8% of employers across Northern Ireland use AI compared with 15% in England and only 4% in the West. Without targeted support for digital skills and innovation, this gap risks widening.

For Chamber members, the message is clear: future growth will depend on upskilling, reskilling, and supporting innovation. Businesses, educators, and policymakers must work together to ensure the North West’s workforce is ready for the next wave of digital transformation.

The takeaway:

Employers, educators, and policymakers must work together to close the digital and skills gap and make the North West a model for inclusive, tech-driven growth.

Read the full Employer Skills Survey 2024 here.