UK: Report on Skills for Business

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has released a report on "Skills for Business: more to learn?" that sets out recommendations to help resolve the skills shortage in the UK and improve the employability of the British workforce. The BCC’s research looked at the issues around skills, apprenticeships and training to understand the challenges faced by businesses operating in a labour market dramatically altered by the financial crisis.

One of the main findings shows that the majority of businesses find it hard to recruit the right staff. 45.4% of businesses reported it very or quite difficult to find the right staff member for a position and only 27.8% find it very or quite easy.

John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce comments that "a skilled workforce is fundamental to every successful business in the UK, and developing the capability of our workforce is crucial for economic growth and international competitiveness. Our members recognise the importance of investing in skills and training, even when times are financially hard. Even though the businesses that we surveyed are keen to recruit new staff members and expand, a lack of appropriate skills within the labour pool is limiting business growth."

Download the report