An exploratory study of employers’ recruitment practices
01 October 2024
This report presents the findings of a small-scale study exploring employers’ use of qualifications - particularly technical and vocational qualifications - within the recruitment process. Technical and vocational qualifications are practical, work-based qualifications intended to give participants the skills and experience needed for particular occupations and career paths.
However, research has shown that there is generally low understanding and perceived value of technical and vocational qualifications amongst employers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite this low understanding and perceived value, there is evidence of positive employment outcomes and wage returns for candidates who hold these types of qualifications.
Within this context, the objectives of the study were to:
- quantify the proportion of job postings that list qualifications (particularly technical and vocational qualifications) in their adverts and explore how this varies by industry sector
- understand employers’ motivations and decision-making when hiring to fill vacancies and any barriers to the inclusion of technical and vocational qualifications within their recruitment process.
To address these objectives, the study undertook a quantitative analysis of secondary data from Adzuna on job adverts, semi-structured focus groups and a rapid review of the existing evidence.
Key Findings
- Job adverts rarely included qualifications of any kind. Between April 2016 and December 2023, only around eight per cent of job adverts referenced a qualification of any kind and less than five per cent referenced a technical or vocational qualification.
- The employers taking part in the focus groups reported that they typically did not mention qualifications in their job adverts because they were concerned about reducing their applicant pool and did not want to deter applicants without a specified qualification from applying who would otherwise be excellent candidates.
- Employers typically prioritised looking for evidence of candidates’ experience and essential skills during recruitment rather than seeking specific qualifications.
- The employers who took part in the focus groups had little appetite to increase their use of qualifications in recruitment.
- The priority given to assessing experience and skills during the recruitment process, rather than seeking specific qualifications, creates a significant challenge for young people transitioning into the labour market who may lack the length and depth of prior experience sought.
- It may also prevent young people, and those who advise and support them, from recognising the value of technical and vocational qualifications for employment outcomes as this is not being signalled to them when job-seeking. Therefore, more work is needed to bridge the gap between employers and young people.