SCOTTISH employers are being encouraged to take an inclusive approach to skills, training and recruitment in order to build a stronger workforce.

The Open University (OU) in Scotland is set to host a free event in Edinburgh showing business owners the value of taking on a diverse workforce, and informing them on how to build one.

Last year, the organisation found that skills shortages cost Scottish businesses £352 million, and 86% of Scottish businesses struggled to find staff with the right skills in the preceding 12 months.

Now, the OU will host speakers who will discuss the organisation’s experience of teaching critical skills to employers and workers from a variety of backgrounds in an effort to close current skills gaps.

Susan Stewart (pictured), director of the OU in Scotland, said: “This year marks our 50th anniversary. That’s 50 years of widening access to quality education, supporting people from all over Scotland to develop their skills and boosting business productivity, creativity and performance. One of the things we’ve learned is that a skilled and diverse workforce brings real rewards to business.

“Our preference is always to work in partnership with others to reach more people and give them the best possible support, and we want to share our knowledge and experience with as many employers as possible.”

Representatives from Skills Development Scotland, the national skills agency, and Equate Scotland, which works to get more women into science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers, will also speak at the event, sharing key tools, ideas and resources to enable employers to diversify their workforces.

The event is set to take place on Thursday, March 7, at Edinburgh’s Hilton Carlton and is free to attend.