Lack of communication skills a growing concern as skills shortages vacancies rise
30 January 2014
Skills shortage vacancies, where employers cannot find people with the right experience and qualifications, are growing at twice the rate of job vacancies, according to a new report.
Thu, 30 Jan 2014Skills shortage vacancies, where employers cannot find people with the right experience and qualifications, are growing at twice the rate of job vacancies, according to a new report.
The government’s skills watchdog, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), found that skills shortage vacancies grew from 16% of all vacancies in 2009 to 22% in 2013.
Skilled trades such as plumbers and electricians were in shortest supply, according to the survey of 91,000 employers.
The report said that lack of communication skills featured prominently among employers’ concerns.
“There has been an increase in the proportion of skill-shortage vacancies resulting from a lack of communication skills, particularly oral communication (41%, up from 37% in 2011), as well as a lack of literacy (34% up from 28% in 2011) and numeracy skills (26%, up from 24%).”
It also found nearly half of UK employers recruited people with higher levels of skills and knowledge than were required for the job.
Douglas McCormick, a commissioner at UKCES, says: "This [report] shows that businesses need to start thinking about planning their talent pipeline now - not waiting until they are unable to fulfil contracts because of a lack of skilled staff."
Neil Carberry, director for employment and skills for the CBI, adds: "The flipside of faster growth is an escalating skills crisis. We must expand access to high-quality apprenticeships and other ‘learn while you earn’ schemes and ensure that these meet the needs of both businesses and employees.
"To equip young people with the knowledge they need, there must also be a sea change in the quality of careers advice in schools, so they are more aware of the opportunities and rewards of working in key sectors which face skills shortages.”
The government’s skills watchdog, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), found that skills shortage vacancies grew from 16% of all vacancies in 2009 to 22% in 2013.
Skilled trades such as plumbers and electricians were in shortest supply, according to the survey of 91,000 employers.
The report said that lack of communication skills featured prominently among employers’ concerns.
“There has been an increase in the proportion of skill-shortage vacancies resulting from a lack of communication skills, particularly oral communication (41%, up from 37% in 2011), as well as a lack of literacy (34% up from 28% in 2011) and numeracy skills (26%, up from 24%).”
It also found nearly half of UK employers recruited people with higher levels of skills and knowledge than were required for the job.
Douglas McCormick, a commissioner at UKCES, says: "This [report] shows that businesses need to start thinking about planning their talent pipeline now - not waiting until they are unable to fulfil contracts because of a lack of skilled staff."
Neil Carberry, director for employment and skills for the CBI, adds: "The flipside of faster growth is an escalating skills crisis. We must expand access to high-quality apprenticeships and other ‘learn while you earn’ schemes and ensure that these meet the needs of both businesses and employees.
"To equip young people with the knowledge they need, there must also be a sea change in the quality of careers advice in schools, so they are more aware of the opportunities and rewards of working in key sectors which face skills shortages.”
