Companies in China are finding it so difficult to recruit staff that Manpower has 10,000 unfilled job requests, according to executive board member David Arkless.

Companies are so desperate to recruit staff that when Manpower asked clients "how much do you want to pay?" the clients replied 'whatever'," Arkless told a recent Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development conference in London.

Arkless told Recruiter that most of the unfilled vacancies were vocational type positions such as technicians, and software engineers. "We can find the top ones; it's that huge middle level where there's a problem."

Arkless said that there were unfilled vacancies on its books even though China turns out 3.6 million graduates a year. "There are a lot of academics we cannot use and there are 460 million people in the countryside [who can't do these jobs]," he added.

The solution is for recruiters like Manpower to work with the authorities to find out what skills companies needed, said Arkless. "The government can then ideally change the education system." he said.

Arkless said the situation was likely to get worse in about five years' time. But despite its difficulties, Arkless said China was in a better situation than Europe and the US, which also had skill shortages. "The problem with Europe and the US is they don't even have a plan," said Arkless.