The number of firms reporting IT skills shortages has
gone up and the business consequences of the skills gap are
worsening, according to the latest quarterly E-Skills UK ICT
Inquiry.
The study shows that the percentage of firms reporting IT skills
gaps increased in the first quarter of the year, and that the
consequent impact of these gaps on UK businesses reached the
highest level recorded in a year.
The percentage of firms reporting a skills gap increased from
12% to 14%. On an impact scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is "no effect"
and 100 is "company closure", firms reporting gaps in the skills of
IT staff rated the effects at a worrying 48.
Karen Price, chief executive at E-Skills UK, said, "Although the
IT skills gap only marginally increased in the first quarter of
this year, this research shows that the impact of skills issues is
potentially very damaging for organisations."
In addition, 20% of IT recruiters stated that they had
difficulties finding applicants with the required level of skills -
a 3% rise from the fourth quarter of last year.
Despite skills gaps being more common, 20% of firms surveyed
stated that they would still not train staff over the coming
year.
E-Skills UK is a not-for-profit, employer-led organisation,
licensed by the government as the sector skills council for IT and
telecoms.
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