• Swindon & Wiltshire Education, training and skills
• Monday October 19 2026

South West firms ready to hire young talent – but face candidate access barrier

South West businesses are ready to invest in the next generation of workers, but many say they need better access to suitable candidates to turn that ambition into jobs.

More than half of firms in the region (52 per cent) recruited early careers talent in the past year, according to new research from Lloyds.

Of those that did, 74 per cent expect to recruit more over the next 12 months.

Even among businesses that did not hire young talent in the past year, 66 per cent said they would do so if they felt able.

The findings point to a region where demand for young workers is strong, but where employers believe the talent pipeline needs strengthening.

When asked what would most increase their confidence to invest in early careers talent, 32 per cent of South West businesses named better access to suitable candidates as the key factor.

Simpler apprenticeships or training schemes were cited by 29 per cent, while 27 per cent wanted stronger links with colleges, universities and training providers. A further 26 per cent called for more relevant local training provision, and 21 per cent said greater certainty over government funding was needed.

Despite those barriers, firms remain confident about funding workforce development. Nearly four in five South West businesses (79 per cent) said they could secure the capital needed to invest in training, apprenticeships or new hires over the next one to three years.

Businesses are also clear about the skills they need. Problem-solving, adaptability and communication topped the list at 38 per cent, followed by customer service and relationship management at 37 per cent and AI and automation skills at 29 per cent.

Rather than relying solely on new recruitment, 52 per cent of South West firms said internal training and upskilling of existing staff would be central to addressing anticipated skills gaps.

Amanda Dorel, regional director for the South West at Lloyds, said businesses clearly recognised the value young people could bring and many planned to continue investing in early careers talent.

“What stands out is that willingness to invest isn’t necessarily the biggest obstacle,” she said. “For many firms, the challenge is making sure they can find young people with the right skills and connect more easily with colleges, universities and training providers.

“That makes closer collaboration between employers and the region’s skills ecosystem increasingly important.”

Dorel added that businesses were building workforces combining adaptability, communication and problem-solving with emerging capabilities such as AI, and that clearer routes between education, training and employment would be central to building that pipeline.

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