Skilled workers ‘must be retained’

IRELAND ranks number one in the world for access to skilled labour but firms remain downbeat about bank finance, according to an international study.

The Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), which surveyed senior executives from 7,000 private firms in 36 countries, found just 7% of Irish businesspeople believe access to skilled staff is a major issue when it comes to expanding their business.

The survey showed almost 40% of businesses in the Netherlands and Canada found a lack of access to a skilled workforce was preventing them reaching their full potential.

Partner at Grant Thornton, Pat Burke said: “Ireland has a huge body of skilled workers available for work. This presents us with a huge opportunity.

“However, we only have a short space of time in which we can take advantage of this asset.

“We will have to create employment opportunities fast in order to hang on to this skilled labour force. Skilled workers are generally very mobile and will leave Ireland if we cannot provide jobs for them very soon.”

Almost half of Australian companies feel a lack of skilled workers constrains their progress, while in New Zealand close to 38% of surveyed firms feel this way.

“Australia and New Zealand are two examples of countries that are being held back by their inability to fill skilled positions,” said Mr Burke. “They are also prime examples of countries where skilled Irish people are finding work at the moment.

“The Government needs to do everything it can to create a business climate that can keep these skilled workers within the country, otherwise we risk delaying economic recovery.”

However, asked whether they expected finance to be more or less accessible in the next year, nearly 80% of Irish businesses responded “less or much less accessible”, leaving Ireland above only Belgium (81%) and Thailand (89%) as the most pessimistic countries.