While the British rail against immigration, a key business group has warned of an on-going lack of basic IT and computer literacy skills in the country which is putting the economy at risk.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said the dearth of IT acumen amongst many workers could undermine Britain’s growing digital economy.
Jobs requiring digital expertise are expected to outstrip all other sectors by as soon as 2020, according to government research. Moreover, the field is highly competitive and the UK has to compete with a strong number of other countries investing in digital output and growth.
Two-thirds of businesses in the UK say that IT knowledge is imperative for hiring, but 25% of companies say they have a shortage of these skills.
"It's becoming increasingly difficult for business to recruit talented developers, which are the lifeblood of every digital start-up," said Nora Senior, BCC president. "At the current rate of growth, we may end up in a situation where we have more tech entrepreneurs than staff available with skills to help them grow.
"We need to promote a long-lasting relationship between the industry and schools, colleges and universities so that we're preparing young people with the skills of our future… to ensure we are at the forefront of the digital race."
The BCC urges coding and software development to be incorporated into the curriculum of schools and colleges.
