Two-thirds of companies have unfilled vacancies for jobs with digital skills, a study suggests.
Research by the CBI among 250 businesses indicated that only one in three were confident of hiring workers with digital skills they need in the next three to five years.
Matthew Fell, the CBI’s chief UK policy director, said: “Technology is changing the way we live and work, creating millions of jobs and adding £184bn to the UK economy.”
He added: “Yet this new data reveals the majority of firms are struggling to fill digital roles across all sectors and skills levels, with demand set to rocket in the next few years. Digital skills are absolutely fundamental to getting people ready for the future of work and helping companies make the most of the opportunities technology brings. It’s essential we tackle the UK’s digital skills crunch now to remain internationally competitive and promote the UK as the number one place for businesses to invest.”
One in five firms were unable to find employees with basic digital skills such as writing documents using a word processor or using spreadsheets effectively, said the report.