UK's basic IT skills fall behind European rivals

Smaller firms need to see training as an investment, not a cost, say experts

UK workers’ basic-level IT skills fall short of those of European rivals, according to research published last week.

Less than 60 per cent of staff in this country have the technical proficiency they need, compared with 80 per cent in Poland, 75 per cent in Portugal and 65 per cent in Romania, says a report from analyst IDC published at the Government Leaders Forum.

The survey also points to a growing need for high-level technical skills.

‘Future demand for IT skills goes beyond just basic proficiency to advanced and e-business skills, and will continue to grow,’ says the report.

‘The need for specialists is most acute in countries such as the UK, Germany and France.’

Speaking at the forum, chancellor Gordon Brown stressed the link between skills development and the UK’s global competitiveness. ‘The answer for Britain, up against large countries with vast pools of unskilled labour and millions of graduates, is to invest in science, technology and the creative industries, and to continuously upskill the entire population,’ he said.

Proposals for sector-specific National Skills Academies are intended to address the gaps. Technology skills groups this week called on IT and telecoms employers to put forward expressions of interest for the sector’s academy.

But experts say more commitment from all employers is needed to solve the UK skills problem.

Complacency among smaller firms could see them lose out to nimbler rivals, says e-learning expert Steve Molyneux.

‘One of the biggest problems in the UK is getting small and medium-sized businesses to understand that training is an investment, not a cost,’ he said.

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