Shortage of skilled staff is causing long-term vacancies for Irish businesses [Video]

One in three Irish businesses are struggling to find skilled staff, with half experiencing long-term vacancies, a new survey has found, writes Helen Bruce.

InterTradeIreland’s All-Island Business Monitor found that the skills shortage was most acute in the construction, manufacturing and hospitality sectors.

Also coming under pressure due to a tight labour market were companies reporting growth and those with between 11 and 49 employees.

When asked about the steps that firms are taking to address any skills gaps, close to a third (31%) of all businesses with more than three staff said they were embracing new technologies.

For those that were struggling to access skilled labour, just over half were increasing recruitment activity and widening their search.

Just 16% were investing more in training and development.

The survey interviews 750 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) every three months across Ireland.

It reported that the business landscape remains broadly positive, with a third of firms confirming …