The
service sector is suffering the worst skills shortages in the UK, according to
the Reed Skills Index.
Seventy-six
per cent of service sector employers reported recruitment difficulties.
Other
sectors that are struggling to recruit include manufacturing and distribution,
with 68 per cent and 64 per cent respectively of firms reporting shortages.
The
public sector, excluding healthcare, has also suffered problems with 62 per
cent of organisations experiencing difficulties in finding suitably qualified
staff.
A
regional breakdown of the UK revealed that the Thames Valley was the worst hit
region for skills shortages, due to the high cluster of IT companies and severe
under-employment in the region. Other regional black spots include Northern
Ireland and East Anglia.
More
than 550 organisations in the UK were surveyed for the Reeds Skills Index.
