UK skills shortages are frustrating businesses and jobseekers alike

Commenting on the 2013 Employer Skills Survey, published today (Thursday) by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“It’s great that more businesses want to recruit. But with jobseekers outnumbering vacancies by four to one, it’s hugely frustrating that across the UK a large number of jobs go unfilled because of local skills shortages.

“It’s also concerning that so few employers are recruiting directly from our schools, colleges and universities, especially as those that do are very positive about taking young people on.

“Employers, unions and government must each play their part in tackling the UK’s damaging skills shortages. Businesses must increase their training budgets, government must expand and improve the quality of apprenticeships, and union learning reps must continue to remind staff that it’s never too late to learn new skills.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The UKCES employer skills survey is available from Alex Curling in the UKCES press office at Alex.Curling@ukces.org.uk

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

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Rob Holdsworth    T: 020 7467 1372    M: 07717 531150     E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk