The latest UK unemployment figures show that the total has risen by 128,000 to 2.64 million in the three months up to the end of October. The percentage of those out of work now stands at 8.3% up from 7.9% the previous quarter. Public sector job losses have added to this month’s figures with only one job created in the private sector for every thirteen lost in the public sector. Youth unemployment has also seen a further rise. This now stands at over one million, the highest figure since 1992.
The latest statistics offer little hope of an improvement in the short term as they also show an 8,000 fall in the number of advertised vacancies. Given these figures it might be expected that employers in commercial properties would see an increase in the skill levels of job applicants but this doesn’t appear to be the case. On the contrary research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows that small businesses are currently finding it difficult to recruit candidates with the skills they require.
According to small business representative Brian Binley MP the skills shortage is far from uncommon; “We hear from small businesses time and time again that they are finding it difficult to get staff with the skills necessary to run their businesses;” he says. The FSB says that 27% of small businesses, particularly start-ups, are experiencing difficulties finding the calibre of staff to meet their needs. The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) backs up these findings and has called on the government to look at changes to the visa system to make it easier for businesses to recruit from overseas to plug the skills gap.
95% of private sector businesses employ less than 20 staff in their commercial properties and these businesses are crucial to economic growth and so the reasons for this lack of skilled staff is a problem that must be identified and addressed. Worryingly low levels of literacy and numeracy have been cited with the performance of primary and secondary schools coming in for criticism. The BCC has declared a lack of confidence in the education system to deliver the right people but Education Secretary Michael Gove has promised to tackle the problem.
In addition the government says it is working with businesses to put practical skills at the heart of the education system. Through initiatives like the Growth and Innovation Fund the government hopes to provide world class training to tackle the skills crisis. They have already announced a further £1 billion investment in apprenticeship schemes and measures to make vocational training more appealing to young people as part of the scheme’s second phase.
Furthermore the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group (APPSBG) has launched an inquiry into ways in which small businesses can be helped through difficult economic times. Looking for answers to the skills shortage will be a major part of the committee’s remit. The FSB has said it would like to see a reinstatement of the graduate internship programme and an increase in enterprise education to ease he skills crisis affecting commercial properties. The APPSBG will present its findings in March 2012.
