The government must prioritise the up-skilling of workers in areas where the UK has skills shortages.
The REC has pointed out that the UK economy could suffer another dip if the talent shortage problem is not addressed quickly.
Over the past month, there was an increase in both permanent and umbrella company temporary placements according to the latest Report on Jobs, which is published by the REC and KPMG.
Roger Tweedy, who is in charge of research at the REC, said that recruiters believe that finding suitably qualified candidates is going to be a major challenge next year across many sectors.
IT and engineering are already suffering skills shortages and the private sector recovery could be held back by this lack of skills availability. In addition to looking for ways to boost job creation, the government needs to make sure we have the skilled talent necessary to meet employer demand.
However, the skills shortage crisis could spell good news for talented IT umbrella company contractors who bring with them not only the requisite skill set but also the flexibility needed to meet employer’s short-term demands.
Meanwhile, Dean Shoesmith, the president of the Public Sector People Managers’ Association, has suggested that public sector bodies should invest in training to improve employees’ basic skills.
He claims that it is essential for workplace morale to make sure all employees have adequate skills and by doing so the public sector could achieve its aim of doing more for less. Not only can training boost morale, it improves the performance of employees which in turn leads to better customer service, he added.
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