Micro businesses are struggling to fulfil their ambition to grow because they are unable to find the right staff, a new report has claimed.
Research published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) suggests that more than half of micro businesses (those with fewer than 10 employees) are unable to expand their business due to an apparent 'lack of skilled candidates'.
Some 47% of respondents to the survey said they would not be confident that school leavers with A-levels or equivalent qualifications would have the necessary skills for their business, while 22% said they were very or fairly confident.
Although many companies are finding it difficult to source the right candidates, 55% of firms said they intend to increase their staff intake before 2015. Just 2.5% of those surveyed said they would be decreasing staff levels during this period.
Commenting on the findings, Dr. Adam Marshall, Director of Policy at the BCC, said: 'Micro-firms make up an important part of our economy, and the fact that over half want to increase staff numbers is good news. However, for those wanting to take on more staff, finding the right person for the job can prove difficult.
'Despite high levels of unemployment, many micro-firms are frustrated by the quality of applicants for vacant roles. There is a real mismatch between business needs and local skills supply, with many businesses unable to find school leavers, or even graduates, with the right mix of skills.
He added: 'At a time when we need to fight hard for every new private sector job, Britain needs a skills system that delivers what businesses require. A courageous government must recognise this and put more control in the hands of employers when it comes to training the nation.'
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