Rural areas across the UK, including Wiltshire, are facing a crisis of opportunity. While innovative energy and tech firms are emerging in these regions, they encounter a major obstacle: the inability to attract skilled staff.
Although the excitement of the big city can be attractive to young people, there are those who wish to make a life in our smaller towns – with their slower pace of life and easy access to the countryside – but find it difficult to access suitable training or job opportunities.
This leads to a brain drain to the UK’s larger cities that is having a real impact on rural economies like those in Wiltshire. As businesses struggle to recruit skilled staff, they often need to follow and relocate to the cities. This leaves towns, like those in my constituency, without the quality employment opportunities that have real long-term career prospects.
In Wiltshire, this bleak picture has changed very little over the past 40 years. Growing up here, I saw first hand the lack of viable career paths, and today’s young people face many of the same barriers. Wiltshire College & University Centre offers further and higher education, apprenticeships and university level courses, but accessibility is a significant issue. Poor public transport adds to the challenges. Labour’s rise in the bus fare cap, though seemingly minor, creates an extra financial burden for students.
However, even if you can afford the bus, public transport in the area is so poor that even the renowned agriculture campus at Lackham, in my constituency, has shortened its academic day to allow students to catch the last bus home. Those unable to afford a driving licence and then a vehicle are effectively cut off from opportunities for advancement.
The lack of reliable public transport does not only affect students. It is also a major deterrent for businesses. Companies operating in rural areas face the challenge of ensuring shift workers can arrive on time, but inadequate bus services often make this impossible. Without significant investment in affordable, comprehensive public transport, rural areas will remain economically stagnant.
A lack of amenities, such as accessible town centres or even basic lunch options beyond a kebab van, add to the difficulty of recruiting skilled professionals to rural areas. To attract engineers and other highly skilled workers, rural towns must present an appealing environment that rivals the opportunities and conveniences of urban centres.
For rural businesses to thrive and provide the jobs that local communities desperately need, we must adopt a holistic approach. First and foremost, serious investment in public transport is essential. A comprehensive, affordable network would not only connect students to colleges but also enable workers to reliably access jobs, fostering economic growth and breaking the cycle of deprivation.
Simultaneously, councils and development agencies must work to improve the infrastructure of rural industrial estates. Modernising facilities and creating inviting spaces for businesses and workers would help retain talent and encourage innovation. Cafés, green spaces, and efficient transport links could transform these areas into hubs of activity, making them more attractive to both employers and employees.
By addressing the twin challenges of transport and infrastructure, we can create a future where rural areas like Wiltshire are not just places to grow up and leave, but places to thrive and build meaningful lives. The solutions are within reach; all that is required is the will to implement them.
This article first appeared in our Spotlight Skills supplement of 7 February 2025.
Content from our partners
Related
