Employer investment in training falls, despite one in five positions difficult to fill because of skills gaps

Half of UK employers said their staff have skills which are under-used, with 16% saying their staff are over-qualified. UCU said that this mismatch of skills and job roles needed to be addressed in order to unlock the full potential of all employees.

Today's report, from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), said there are around 150,000 skills-shortage vacancies in the UK, a 60% increase on the 2011 figure of 91,000. While the overall numbers of staff being trained rose, training investment per person fell by 17%, raising concerns about the quality of skills training on offer.

Encouragingly though, employers taking part in the survey reported a pleasing level of work-readiness from young people recruited directly from further education colleges (74%) and higher education institution (83%).

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'It is encouraging that employers recognise the important role colleges and universities play in preparing people for the world of work. Employers and educational establishments need to work together to design and deliver training which allows students to gain the right skills and qualifications for current and future roles.

'Over 60% of the skills shortages identified by employers were "technical, practical or job specific". It is often not that people aren't skilled enough - half of UK employers say quite the opposite - but that skills need to be applied more effectively.

'It's vital that employers commit to providing necessary training for their existing employees in order to meet emerging skill requirements and that they allocate appropriate resources to facilitate this. The report points to an overall decrease in employer investment in training, but employers need to invest more, not less, if they want to effectively address their skills deficits.'