Results from the latest CBI-KPMG London Business Survey shows two out of three companies in the capital, at 65%, expect to be hampered by skills shortages over the next six months. A majority of 58% are already recruiting from overseas.
Almost a third, at 29% of those turning overseas, said they were increasing their recruitment from outside the UK and, contrary to the perception that overseas workers often performed low-skilled jobs, 83% were bringing in candidates with higher, degree-level skills.
John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said British graduates were competing in the job market with a ‘topslice of talent’ from overseas universities. ‘To remain attractive to employers UK graduates need better careers advice and stronger employability skills in areas like teamworking and communication,’ he said.
According to Ian Barlow, London KPMG senior partner, it was important businesses in London had access to skilled labour from abroad. ‘There is so much that needs to be done to upskill our own Londoners to enable them to compete for these jobs,’ he said.
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