A large majority of UK businesses are struggling to find suitable applicants to fill vacancies despite the ongoing economic slowdown, one new study has found.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's (CIPD) annual Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Survey found 70 per cent of firms cited a lack of necessary skills as the main reason for recruitment difficulties.
Students working on industry placements to gain vital experience to go with the skills they are learning on their courses could be interested that 42 per cent of those polled blamed a lack of work experience.
Three-quarters of firms believe the provision of additional training to allow internal staff to fill posts is the most effective solution to the "skills crunch".
Deborah Fernon, the body's organisation and resourcing advisor, said: "If bosses want to come out of the downturn with a competitive advantage, they would do well to implement strategies aimed at attracting and retaining the right staff."
She added a good learning and development culture within firms would create a strong employer brand, which could help to attract talent.
Meanwhile, a new Trades Union Congress report The Return of the Long Hours Culture revealed that 3.3 million staff are working more than 48 hours a week in the UK - an increase of 180,000 over the past year.
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