Most employers believe that recruiting skilled staff has become more difficult over the past five years, a British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) report has found.
More than half (55 per cent) of employers said that the UK's skills gap is widening, making current reforms to vocational training all the more urgent.
"I spent a year trying to recruit someone for one position," said Tim Crabtree of recruitment consultants Abbott Solutions.
"There were people who came to the interview who were absolutely awful in terms of their attitude, and there were others who were very nice but the one thing they had in common was their lack of skills."
The BCC survey also showed that UK businesses are prepared to invest in their staff, with 83 per cent of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) providing training.
More than three quarters actively assess staff skills and track the effectiveness of training.
