London labour market skills gap continues as red tape hinders overseas hiring April 1, 2015 London businesses are struggling to recruit people with the right skills and have called for cuts to red tape to make it easier to employ from abroad. Survey figures released today by the London Chambers of Commerce show that 54 per cent of firms looking to recruit over the past three months had difficulties, up [...]
City skills shortage: Almost two vacancies for each jobseeker March 16, 2015 Finance firms’ growth is being held back by a lack of workers, recruiter Robert Walters warned today. It has 10,560 vacancies on its books, but just 6,090 jobseekers to fill it. The burgeoning economic recovery has encouraged workers to look at moving jobs – Robert Walters has seen a 48 per cent rise in potential movers [...]
Apprenticeship Week: We can celebrate a revolution in the UK’s skills market March 12, 2015 As many of us look forward to the weekend, I’m here reflecting on the eighth National Apprenticeship Week and the hundreds of events that have taken place across the capital, recognising how apprenticeships have transformed the skills market in the UK. As the mayor’s ambassador for training and enterprise, and as head of emerging talent [...]
Why business needs military skills March 9, 2015 Dealing with uncertainty and embracing the future are attributes the corporate world needs. The world around us is changing at an incredible pace – the graph is not linear, but exponential. Advances in technology threaten to outpace the ability of individuals and organisations to keep up. Some, like professor Stephen Hawking, are concerned that artificial [...]
UK is failing to adopt digital skills, Lords committee warns February 17, 2015 Digital skills should be taught as a core subject in schools, along with the likes of English and Maths, according to the recommendations of the House of Lords digital skills select committee. In September, England became the first G20 country to add computer programming to the curriculum, to improve the skills of children and graduates [...]
Bidding wars are back as the skills shortage pushes up pay in the City January 26, 2015 One-fifth of all Londoners moving jobs receive a counter-offer from their existing employer, recruiter Randstad said today. On average, the offer needs to give the jobseeker a 17 per cent pay rise to persuade them to stay. In London, 20 per cent of movers end up in a bidding war. By contrast, only eight per [...]
There’s hard evidence that soft skills are key to success in business January 18, 2015 I’m regularly asked how to get ahead at work and what lessons there are from my own success in business. The answer often surprises people. It’s not just about qualifications. It’s not about my education or background. I’d actually put my success down to something called soft skills – the vital abilities in areas such [...]
New year job search: Pay soars amid skills shortage January 9, 2015 2015 could be the best year yet for anyone looking to switch jobs, as pay soars amid a skills shortage, according to figures by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). The report, in conjunction with KPMG, found that a lack of suitable candidates has pushed pay up across the board. This came after a good [...]
Skills shortage and higher pay are hurting London companies January 6, 2015 London’s businesses want to grow to match the recovering economy, but are being held back by a lack of skilled workers, according to study out yesterday from the London Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and ComRes. Growth will improve this year, according to 42 per cent of businesses in the capital. As a result, [...]
Skills shortage poses threat to UK businesses January 4, 2015 A shortage of skills in the UK could blight firms’ 2015 expansion plans, new survey data suggests. Of 500 firms surveyed, 39 per cent said a lack of skilled workers would have negative impact on their business, according to figures released today by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). A potential [...]