Findings released today from the latest quarterly e-skills UK ICT Inquiry show that the percentage of firms reporting ICT (Information Communication Technology) skills gaps increased in Q1 of 2006 and the consequent impact of these gaps on UK businesses reached the highest level recorded in a year.

The ICT Inquiry findings show that the percentage of firms reporting a skills gap increased from 12 per cent to 14 per cent but on the impact scale of 0-100, where 0 is no effect and 100 is company closure, firms reporting gaps in the skills of ICT staff rated the effects at a worrying 48.

Karen Price, CEO of e-skills UK comments: Although the ICT 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.

Other findings from the e-skills UK ICT Inquiry, which is based on the opinions of over 1,000 business, IT and HR leaders, include:

• On average each ICT position advertised externally will attract around 26 applications but just seven (27 per cent) applicants will fully match the requirements set out within the job description
  
• One in five (20 per cent) ICT recruiters stated that they had difficulties finding applicants with the required level of skills/knowledge a rise on the previous quarter (Q4 2005 - 17 per cent)
  
• Despite skills gaps being more common, one in five firms surveyed stated that they would still not train staff over the coming year
  
• On average it takes 42 days to recruit a new ICT professional compared with 32 days for other workers

[The UK is an extraordinarily undereducated society. It would really only take a quite limited additional effort to move the efficient use of human resources up towards Scandinavian level, pulling the unemployable minority groups upwards and creating a much happier and more tension-free social structure. It needs to be a concerted effort, though, involving schools, universities and industry. As a first step faith schools should be abandoned and vocational training integrated into the school system. --Ed].

Related links: (Open in a new window.)
www.e-skills.com/research

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