The number of skills-shortage vacancies has increased over the past two years according to new research from the DfE.

Finding the right workers remains a challenge often due to a lack of the required skills, qualifications or experience among applicants. Around 60% of employers also anticipate changing skills requirements over the next year.

The DfE research, Employer skills survey 2017, provides a source of intelligence on the skills challenges that UK employers face both within their current workforce and when recruiting new employees.

The research suggests a need for locally targeted solutions to respond to skills shortages following evidence of huge geographical differences (Birmingham struggles to fill 32% of vacancies, with only 4% reported in Leeds).

The business services sector and construction sector are experiencing a large amount of these skills shortages.

On the technical side, employers report a lack of digital skills, operational and analytical skills.

Use of online training and e-learning is on the increase amongst employers across all UK nations and all sectors.

There is a decrease in the number of staff being trained to nationally recognised qualifications but those employers who do use higher level qualifications as part of their employee training are more likely to be high performing employers.

The research was based on responses from over 87,000 employers and was carried out between May and October 2017.