Irish employers are struggling to find appropriately skilled workers despite a near 15 per cent unemployment rate, according to new research by consultancy firm Accenture.
Some 100 large and medium-sized companies were surveyed by Accenture, with 43 per cent reporting difficulty finding people with technology skills.
The research, which was conducted for Accenture by Amárach Research, found 41 per cent of companies still had mathematical and engineering positions open, due to difficulty finding employees with sufficient skills.
"There is an excess of individuals qualified to work in industries that present limited opportunities while at the other end of the spectrum, employers in growth sectors cannot find suitably qualified workers," Mark Ryan, country managing director at Accenture, said.
He recommended employers address the skills shortage by training existing employees to fill those open roles at a senior or technical level, creating a pipeline of skilled employees who can flexibly work in different parts of their organisations.
"Creating this internal mobility can then open entry level roles for unemployed workers who can be re-trained."
Some 71 per cent of employers surveyed indicated that lack of access to appropriately skilled workers will impact their ability to grow their businesses. However, just under a third (32 per cent) of employers indicated that they have primary responsibility for developing the skills of the workforce.
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