A Cambridge University study has blasted the IT industry for failing to recruit younger and older workers.

The study warned that a lack of workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 45 could lead to significant skills shortages.

The number of people in the UK under 25 signing up for a career in IT has almost halved since 1995. The decline is most marked among school leavers and graduates – the number entering the IT industry is now only around 7% of the total IT workforce, compared with 12% in 1995. And only 20% of the IT workforce is over 45.

“If IT is not able to address workforce ageing issues, it risks losing a lot of talent that has invested years in the industry,” said Dr Kerry Platman, senior researcher at Cambridge’s Centre on Ageing.

But IT recruiters said the findings reflected where the skills were, rather than a deliberate strategy.

“Our clients don’t have an issue with recruiting older or younger staff. It’s to do with the skills people have,” said Paul Smith, a director at IT recruitment firm Harvey Nash.

•The Employers Forum on Age has designed an age-neutral application form. More details can be found at www.efa.org.uk.

For more information on how to tackle age issues in recruitment, please visit the Age Positive campaign, backed by Recruiter, at www.agepositive.gov.uk.