Downturn fuels UK IT skills gap

A fifth of firms lack the IT skills they need, says research

Jobs are being cut without considering what IT skills are needed

More than a fifth of firms say they lack the IT skills needed for their businesses to thrive, according to research.

The recession has exacerbated the impact of the IT skills shortage, with more than one in seven IT managers reporting that job losses have left them with a skills deficit.

The research, commissioned by Vodafone, suggests that 40 per cent of IT workers are suffering stress from having to learn new skills needed to minimise the impact of staff cuts where they work.

And the study indicates that nearly three quarters of firms (71 per cent) have scaled back or completely stopped investing in staff development.

This has to be addressed urgently, said Karen Price, chief executive of IT sector skills council e-Skills UK. She said that for the sake of their future prosperity, business leaders need to continue to invest in the professional development of retained staff.

"The UK was undergoing a far-reaching skills shift even before the skills impact of the recession is taken into account," said Price.

"There is a shorter-term need to help recession-hit IT professionals adapt to rapid changes in their day-to-day roles and responsibilities."