Recruiters should do more to help the unemployed if the UK is to avoid a massive skills gap, according to Chris Moore, managing director of Adecco Group Solutions.

Moore tells Recruiter he would like to see more recruiters provide the unemployed with work experience and apprenticeships.

Referring to Adecco placing 75 people with clients after giving them two weeks’ work experience within the staffing company, Moore says the challenge wasn’t finding clients willing to take these people on.

“The biggest challenge is giving people the opportunity and making sure that when we bring people in we are helping them by building their confidence and helping position themselves for when they are in an interview situation.”

He adds that it isn’t a question of recruiters helping younger people at the expense of older workers, but that recruiters have a wider responsibility.

“The real challenge here is that we are going to have a massive skills gap. This is part of recruiters having a responsible attitude so we don’t have that skills gap in 5-10 years’ time,” says Moore.