Senior executives in Adecco and Hays, two of the UK’s most prominent staffing companies, have criticised the chancellor for failing to address the country’s skills agenda.

Nigel Heap, managing director at Hays UK & Ireland, says that while he welcomes the government’s commitment to boosting infrastructure spending and housing, this needs to be backed up by more investment in skills, particularly in IT, oil & gas and engineering. 

Heap calls for short-term training and long-term partnerships between business and education “to ensure we aren’t constrained by a lack of talent in the future”.

Peter Searle, chief executive Adecco Group UK & Ireland, says: “The government needs to ensure its investment in skills isn’t focused heavily on one or two sectors but across the skills set of all young workers hoping to enter the jobs market. With today’s ONS [Office of National Statistics] stats showing one in five 16-24-years-olds are out of work, more investment in core employability skills training is needed to secure Britain’s competiveness in the years ahead.”

Tom Hadley, policy director at the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), adds: “The chancellor did not have any new announcements to make about training and apprenticeships, and could find his growth plans in creative, low-carbon and technology sectors thwarted by a lack of skilled workers. An investment in those who currently don’t have the right skills for available jobs, be they young or old, needs urgent action – not just lip service.”