Accountants in demand as skills shortage hits companies, shows research

Accountants are one of the many types of workers now in demand as a skills shortage hits companies.

According to research from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), companies are searching for skilled workers such as accountants, project managers, sales staff, engineers and quantity surveyors to fill permanent positions.

Uncertainty

Whilst the number of people in permanent jobs continued to increase last month, REC Director of Policy, Tom Hadley, said that it was at its slowest rate since September 2015.

“While we expect jobs growth to continue overall, we are now seeing the effects of current uncertainty in the marketplace on UK employment,” he said.

He stated that “global economic headwinds” and uncertainty over the possibility of Britain exiting the EU make it likely that slower growth in permanent hiring will remain over the next few months as employers take a “wait-and-see” approach.

He added that temporary hiring is increasing as businesses “seek to meet increasing demand while retaining the ability to react quickly to any threats that might be around the corner.”

Power

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills discussed how the problem of a skills shortage is being tackled, stating that the department is “putting employers in the driving seat so they have the power to develop apprenticeships that meet the skills they need now and in the future.”

The spokesperson said: “Apprenticeships are helping to open the doors for people to get on. Our reforms are helping more and more people into work than ever before.”