The skills gap

The answers are not simple; there are several contributing factors. Kevin Hogarth of chartered accountants, Ernst and Young, believes that the problem has been brewing for over a decade. Companies neglected to invest in training and recruitment, once the British economy moved out of recession and, by the 1990s, into a period of full employment (as defined by the late economist J M Keynes). An Increase in young people continuing into higher education means that, jobs that were previously filled by school leavers remain vacant. And when it comes to IT, few could have ever predicted the huge growth in new media jobs.

So, as things stand, the skilled worker is supreme, which is great news if you happen to be one. ‘It’s definitely a workers market,’ says Sarah Parsons of Reed.

The rise in demand for workers and the growth of the Internet has increased the speed and ease in which jobs can be advertised and applied for. Workers are moving from one job to another, far quicker than ever before, which means they are staying in them for shorter periods.

Andy Westwood of the Industrial Society advises anyone who is currently re-entering the workplace, or looking to change careers, the following advice, ‘Make sure you visit your local employment services to get an overview of what jobs and opportunities are out there. What used to be a dead end visit to the job centre has now hugely improved. Personal advisers are able to help in all sorts of matters, from minimum wage issues to family credit. One third of all job vacancies are carried by the employment service, so ignore them at your own peril,’ he says.

Next page: what you can do