This statistic shows the frequency of skills described as lacking among applicants as a proportion of all skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017. The most common skills that employers identified as lacking when trying to fill such vacancies were technical, practical or job specific. 30 percent of applicants were seen to be lacking basic numerical skills whilst 23 percent didn't come up to scratch with regards to using basic IT.
Frequency of skills described as lacking among applicants as a proportion of all skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017*
Characteristic
Proportion of all vacancies
Specialist skills or knowledge
65%
Solving complex problems
41%
Knowledge of products and services offered
38%
Knowledge of how the organisation works
32%
Complexnumerical/statistical skills
27%
Reading/understanding instructions,reports etc
33%
Writing instructions, reports etc.
28%
Basic numerical skills
30%
Computer literacy / basic IT skills
23%
Advanced or specialist IT skills
21%
Adapting to new equipment or materials
22%
Manual dexterity
17%
Communicating in a foreign language
16%
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%65%70%75%
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* Skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) are defined as "vacancies which are proving difficult to fill due to the establishment not being able to find applicants with the appropriate skills, qualifications or experience."
Methodology and background note (from source):
During the survey, employers were first asked to give their reasons for not being able to fill vacancies spontaneously (i.e. without being presented with a list of possible reasons). Any employers not reporting skills-related issues were then prompted as to whether any of their hard-to-fill vacancies were proving hard-to-fill due to a lack of skills, experience or qualifications among applicants.
Employers who reported having vacancies that were difficult to fill because of skill shortages were read a list of types of skills and asked, for each occupation in which they reported skill-shortage vacancies, which skills were lacking. This statistic shows results based on the total number of skill-shortage vacancies (as opposed to establishments with skill-shortage vacancies).
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UK Commission for Employment and Skills, & GOV.UK. (October 8, 2018). Frequency of skills described as lacking among applicants as a proportion of all skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 01, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/290406/skills-lacking-in-applicants-to-skill-shortage-vacancies-in-the-uk/
UK Commission for Employment and Skills, und GOV.UK. "Frequency of skills described as lacking among applicants as a proportion of all skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017*." Chart. October 8, 2018. Statista. Accessed April 01, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/290406/skills-lacking-in-applicants-to-skill-shortage-vacancies-in-the-uk/
UK Commission for Employment and Skills, GOV.UK. (2018). Frequency of skills described as lacking among applicants as a proportion of all skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: April 01, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/290406/skills-lacking-in-applicants-to-skill-shortage-vacancies-in-the-uk/
UK Commission for Employment and Skills, and GOV.UK. "Frequency of Skills Described as Lacking among Applicants as a Proportion of All Skill-shortage Vacancies (Ssvs) in The United Kingdom (Uk) in 2017*." Statista, Statista Inc., 8 Oct 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/290406/skills-lacking-in-applicants-to-skill-shortage-vacancies-in-the-uk/
UK Commission for Employment and Skills & GOV.UK, Frequency of skills described as lacking among applicants as a proportion of all skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/290406/skills-lacking-in-applicants-to-skill-shortage-vacancies-in-the-uk/ (last visited April 01, 2025)
Frequency of skills described as lacking among applicants as a proportion of all skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017* [Graph], UK Commission for Employment and Skills, & GOV.UK, October 8, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/290406/skills-lacking-in-applicants-to-skill-shortage-vacancies-in-the-uk/
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