Skill shortages 'getting worse'

Citation

(1999), "Skill shortages 'getting worse'", Education + Training, Vol. 41 No. 9. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.1999.00441iab.004

Skill shortages 'getting worse'

Keywords Skills shortages, Training, Recruitment

Skill shortages, recruitment difficulties and skill gaps are getting worse, according to the latest skill survey by the UK's 70 national training organizations. The most severe skill gaps are reported to be among technical occupations, or sectors reliant on information technology and management skills. But almost all sectors are reporting skill gaps - where workers who are currently employed have lower skills than needed to meet business objectives. Most of the sectors responding also reported skill shortages and other recruitment difficulties for particular occupations.

The regions experiencing the greatest skill difficulties are London and the South East. The North, Midlands and South West follow closely behind. Almost half of respondents stated that school leavers and the unemployed did not have the skills needed by employers - in particular, customer-handling skills and information technology. The main impact of skill shortages and gaps appears to be on service quality, not wages. Moreover, there are signs of poaching and employers engaging in predatory recruitment practices that are limiting the overall skills base of the economy.

Tom Bewick, National Training Organizations National Council policy director, commented: "The findings of our survey indicate that, even in a comparatively low-growth economy, the increasing pace of change in the workplace means that skills need to be constantly updated. There is a danger, once again, that growth and competitiveness will be hindered by a skills base that is failing to cope with rising demands. This, combined with the supply side of education and training not meeting the demands of the sectors, does not bode well for the future if positive steps are not taken now to minimize the mismatch".