Publishers are facing severe skills
shortages because potential employees lack the necessary skills, a report by
the Publishing National Training Organisation reveals.
It claims 50 per cent
of publishing companies have vacancies at any one time and posts are proving
hard to fill.
The report also shows
that 90 per cent of the 500 employers surveyed believe the skills needed in the
industry are increasing. The Publishing NTO says this is because of new
technology and working practices.
Respondents state that
current staff have the right skills but there is a shortage of high-quality
employees entering the industry.
Joanne Butcher, chief
executive of the Publishing NTO, said, "Although we do not have the crisis
that is hitting nursing and teaching, there are critical challenges. There is a
shortage of high-quality people, even though more people are coming into the
industry."
Carol Eaton, training
director of Reed Business Information, agreed: "Most of our induction
staff have to go through heavy training to obtain the basic skills and
knowledge to do the job."
She continued,
"When we were recruiting for our editorial training scheme we had over 400
applicants for 10 places, all with some form of journalistic training, and yet
the majority could not put an application together.
"Employers now
look for employees with the right attitude and approach to the job rather than
the skills."
The NTO, which was
launched last month, aims to attract high-quality graduates through better
promotion of the sector.
The industry has sales
of more than £18bn and employs over 180,000 people, making it the third biggest
creative industry in the country.
By Paul Nelson
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