Half of UK businesses say it takes longer to recruit people now compared with five years ago, according to new research by the British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with global job site Indeed.

The research, which surveyed over 1,100 businesses from across the UK, also found that 21% of businesses are reporting that it now takes up to six months to fill a skilled role.

The BCC and Indeed’s research emphasises the importance of removing blockers in the training system to develop a pipeline of talent. It specifically focused on T-Levels, which are new courses coming in September 2020, which will follow GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) and will be equivalent to 3 A Levels (Advanced Levels).

“The new T levels, due to be introduced in 2020, promise to offer young people a new route into employment, providing a quality, technical alternative to A levels that employers have long called for,” the BCC stated. “However, the results reveal a clear communication void with business ahead of their rollout, as three-quarters of firms say they’ve never heard of T levels or know only the name. Only 3% know a lot of details.”

T levels will include a 45-day industry placement with an employer. However, according to the BCC, 41% of respondents in the study say their business currently has no plans to offer a placement, suggesting that much more needs to be done to inform, incentivise and support firms, particularly SMEs (small to medium enterprises). The BCC pointed to the Apprenticeship reforms that were introduced in 2017 adding that these are not yet meeting the needs of businesses.

Claire Walker, Co-executive director at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), commented, “The new Apprenticeship Standards, and T levels, provide the opportunity to ramp up quality and choice in technical and vocational qualifications, but more needs to be done to remove the blockers in the skills system – and communicate the benefits of these reforms – to get it working better for businesses. Once barriers have been resolved, we need period of stability to allow the changes to imbed.”

Pawel Adrjan, UK economist at global job site Indeed, also commented, “Combined with uncertainty about future immigration policy, that means employers should consider training a workforce for the future. Yet what this survey shows is that employers are either unaware or apathetic about schemes like T Levels and the related placements.”