Growing skills gap a 'major strategic threat' to economy

Some 80% of businesses reported facing skills gaps, where their existing or future workforce do not have the expertise required by industry. File picture: PA

Many employers are grappling with critical skills gaps and report struggling to recruit in the past 12 months, according to a new report by industry group Ibec. 

It described the growing skills gap as a "major strategic threat" to the economy and called for the Government to unlock the National Training Fund to allow employers to prepare their workforce for the future.