Nearly 69% of respondents expect headcount to increase over the next 12 months, and no firm surveyed expects staffing levels to fall. That is an important signal in itself. It points to a membership base that still wants to expand, invest and compete. The difficulty is that growth ambition is now colliding with a hard operational constraint.

Some 82% of respondents say they are finding it difficult to recruit suitably skilled staff, while 25% report having turned down work or opportunities in the past year because of skills shortages. That begins to shift the issue from a long-term policy concern into an immediate business constraint. For a quarter of respondents, skills shortages are no longer theoretical. They are already affecting turnover, delivery and the ability to respond to demand.

The survey also suggests that employers are not disengaged from the skills agenda. Rather, many appear willing to participate if the offer is practical and usable. Only 18% say existing training provision meets their needs well, while 35% say it meets their needs poorly or very poorly. That does not necessarily imply a lack of provision overall, but it does suggest a mismatch between what is available and what firms feel they can access, absorb and apply in day-to-day operations.

The same pattern is visible in apprenticeships and Higher Level Apprenticeships. With 94% saying they would consider recruiting or upskilling through these routes over the next two to three years, employer appetite appears strong. The friction seems to lie less in demand than in navigation, familiarity and the practical burden of participation.

AI adds a further layer. Around 88% of respondents are already using or exploring AI, up from around 80% in the Chamber’s 2025 Business Sentiment Survey. That suggests AI is moving from abstract interest to operational reality. Yet the survey indicates that business maturity remains shallow, and every respondent said they would invest more or possibly more if practical local support were available. In other words, the issue is no longer whether firms are interested in AI. It is whether they can build the confidence and capability to use it well.

We are grateful to every business and organisation that took the time to complete the survey. Their input has provided an important evidence base for the Chamber’s work and will help ensure that the voice of employers in the North West is clearly reflected in future engagement on skills, training and workforce development.

Takeaway:

The Chamber’s survey suggests that the region has demand for growth, but not yet enough workforce capacity and practical skills support to convert that demand into delivery.

You can read the full presentation here Skills Survey Insight 2026