Research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has found that that UK businesses are finding it takes a long longer to recruit people than five years ago and calls for a simple and coherent skills system to help businesses engage and invest in long-term workforce development. Claire Walker, Co-executive director at the BCC, said “For too long the UK’s approach to training has been characterised by constant chopping and changing of policy. The new Apprenticeship Standards, and T levels, provide the opportunity to ramp up quality and choice in technical and vocational qualifications, but more needs to be done to remove the blockers in the skills system – and communicate the benefits of these reforms – to get it working better for businesses”.
