Most recruitment leaders expect to see skills shortages within the sectors they operate increase over the next two years, according to the latest research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

The findings showed that 74% of recruitment leaders expect to see skills shortages with the number increasing to 87% for highly skilled workers. Meanwhile 47% of recruitment leaders expect there to be a significant rise in skills shortages for graduates.

“It’s no surprise that recruitment leaders today are anticipating further skills shortages over the next few years,” Roger Tweedy, Director of Communications at APSCo said. “Competitive job markets, coupled with growing demand for specialist skills, means we are seeing firms struggle to make the hires they need.”

“This scarcity of skills is increasingly becoming a risk to business growth, and with Brexit on the horizon, there are widespread fears that access to talent could become even more squeezed,” Tweedy said. “While employment trends seldom remain consistent, businesses must put measures in place to ensure they remain attractive to skilled talent to guarantee they can access the expertise needed to underpin growth and thrive. While there is no quick-fix to the challenge of sourcing the right skills long term, promoting an effective employer value proposition during recruitment and beyond is vital.”