Australian skills shortage still severe: Manpower
Australia remains one of the most talent-short nations in the world, according to a major global study from Manpower.
The survey of 39,000 employers worldwide found that 49% of the 2,779 Australian respondents were still struggling to source the skilled workers they needed, despite the economic crisis.
The result is down just 3 percentage points from a year ago, and Australia remains the fifth ranked country in terms of skills shortages.
The country's level of skills shortage is well above the global average of 30%, and the results from the UK (11%) and US (19%).
Across the Asia-Pacific region as a whole, some 32% of the 11,500 employers surveyed said they were facing a scarcity of talent.
Globally, skills shortages were of the least concern to employers in Ireland, where only 5% of employers had trouble finding skilled staff, and Spain, where 8% reported difficulty.
The most affected countries were Taiwan and Romania (both 62%) and Japan (55%).
In New Zealand, 39% of employers are struggling to find skilled staff.