IT skills gap widens, says research

e-Skills UK finds that skills gap is worse in the summer

The percentage of firms reporting IT skills shortages has increased from 12 per cent to 14 per cent, according to the latest UK IT Inquiry by e-Skills UK.

The consequent impact of these gaps on UK businesses has this summer reached the highest level recorded in a year.

On an impact scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is 'no effect' and 100 is 'company closure', firms reporting gaps in the skills of IT staff rated the effect at 48.

In addition, 20 per cent of IT recruiters stated that they had difficulties finding applicants with the required level of skills - a three per cent rise from the fourth quarter of 2005. Despite skills gaps being more common, 20 per cent of firms surveyed stated that they would still not train staff over the coming year.

Des Lekerman, Managing Director at Eurodata Systems, said: 'In today's fast paced business environment one of the biggest risks that a company faces is the recruitment of temporary contract IT staff. This is particularly evident during the summer months when many contract workers take holidays.'

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