Throughout the general election all three political parties said that the small business and company formation sector were key to the UK’s economy recovery, and pledged to support them. However, one of the main areas the Conservative party promised to concentrate on was improving the number of skilled workers, working in the UK.
However, a recent report conducted by the British Chamber of Commerce has found that, many small business owners in the UK feel that there is a severe lack of skilled workers available and they fear that this will not only make growing their company difficult, but that it may also have an impact on the broader economy recovery of the UK.
The survey found that over forty per cent of respondents felt that the number of graduates available in the job market was distinctly lower than three years ago. While thirty per cent said that they were having difficulty filling roles which required specific scientific or engineering skills.
Martin Shaw, business advisor to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, comments; “As the economy begins to improve, more and more companies will be looking to find roles which require specific skills. Small business should develop a strategic recruitment plan to ensure that they can get the best workforce available to take advantage of the upturn.”