A skills shortage is damaging business in Northern Ireland, a report published today says.
Job vacancies are increasing but are proving harder to fill, according to the largest-ever survey of the skills needed in the private sector.
Almost two-thirds of vacancies were reported to be difficult to fill and 66 per cent of companies said shortages were putting a strain on the management of existing staff.
The Northern Ireland Skills Monitoring Survey 2000 said 25 per cent of firms reported shortages were restricting business development and 22 per cent reported loss of business to competitors.
Skills shortages were most frequently reported in business services and construction industries and for associate professional and technical, managerial and craft-related jobs.
Welcoming publication of the report, the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, Mr Seán Farren, said the power-sharing Executive was committed to developing a world-class workforce which reflected employers' needs.
He said the report provided a number of key messages. "The level of vacancies reported reflects the growing number of jobs being created.
"That is encouraging evidence that our economy is continuing to strengthen. However, the growth in the opportunities created brings with it the challenge of ensuring that vacancies are filled efficiently and effectively," he said.
Current vacancies were reported by 21 per cent of employers - compared with just 10 per cent found in a similar but smaller survey carried out in 1998.
Such skills gaps were most frequently reported by employers in the hotel and restaurant sector, said the report.
Among the skills said to be lacking were computer literacy/knowledge of IT, practical skills, customer-handling skills, interpersonal skills and communication skills.
PA