Thousands of jobseekers across the UK are set to receive enhanced careers advice following a new partnership between the government and professional networking platform LinkedIn. This landmark collaboration aims to bolster support for individuals navigating the modern labour market, where the traditional 'job for life' is increasingly rare, giving way to greater career mobility.
Under the agreement, timely, anonymised data on jobs, skills, hiring trends, and workforce movement will be shared with Skills England from LinkedIn's extensive network of 40 million UK accounts. This will provide the government with a novel perspective on the dynamics of the labour market. In the future, this valuable insight is expected to be utilised by the new Jobs and Careers Service to offer jobseekers more personalised advice on industry-specific skills and potential career pathways, helping them achieve their professional aspirations.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will work alongside LinkedIn to map how individuals transition between roles, with the dual aim of broadening career options for jobseekers and encouraging businesses to look beyond conventional recruitment pools. This initiative comes as the recent Skills England Annual Report highlighted a projected need for an additional 1.8 million jobs in priority sectors by 2035, underscoring the urgency of addressing skills gaps and facilitating career development.
A primary focus of this partnership is to gain a clearer understanding of any skills mismatch between local job adverts and the competencies of the local population. This insight will be crucial for informing new skills development options and driving economic growth across the country. Young people, in particular, are expected to benefit significantly, as the government gains a more detailed understanding of the local workforce and its ongoing evolution.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, recently met with Blake Lawit from LinkedIn to formalise this partnership. Mr McFadden stated that the initiative would provide a clearer understanding of the job market – including employer needs, available opportunities, and how individuals build their careers – all with the objective of boosting economic growth. This collaboration forms part of the government's broader employment reforms, which include the creation of the new Jobs and Careers Service and a substantial £2.5 billion investment package designed to support young people into work or further education.