MILWAUKEE, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Employers across the globe are facing the most acute talent shortage since the recession, according to the latest Talent Shortage Survey, released today by ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN). Of the more than 42,000 employers surveyed, 40% are experiencing difficulties filling roles; the highest level since 2007.

As skills needs change rapidly, employers are looking inside their organizations for solutions, with more than half choosing to develop and train their own people. This represents a significant jump from ManpowerGroup's 2015 survey, when just 20% prioritized training and development to fill roles or find new skills. In the IT sector, businesses are reporting the most marked talent shortage in a number of years. IT roles jump from ninth to second place this year, the most marked demand for IT in a decade.

"Upskilling our global workforce is critical to ensure organizations have the skills they need to accelerate performance and everyone has access to the opportunities on offer," said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup Chairman & CEO. "The best organizations know this, which is why we've seen a marked rise in the number of businesses focusing on training and development to fill talent gaps. We expect to see this number grow. That's why we support companies and individuals to nurture learnability - the desire and ability to learn new skills to be employable for the long-term."

View complete 2016 Talent Shortage Survey results: www.manpowergroup.com/talentshortage 

Of the 42,300 employers surveyed, the hardest jobs to fill remain Skilled Trade Workers for the fifth consecutive year. Sales Representatives, Engineers, Technicians and Drivers all slip one ranking, 3rd - 6th respectively, and Office Support Staff drops two places to 10th. Production and Machine Operators also become harder roles to fill as they move from 10th to 9th when compared with 2015.

Talent Shortages by Region

• EMEA: Employers in EMEA are facing talent shortages at the highest levels since 2006, with 36% of employers reporting difficulty filling vacancies, a rise from 32% in 2015. Employers in Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece face the most acute difficulties. Those reporting the least difficulty include Norway, the Netherlands, UK and Ireland. As in every year since 2007, employers in the EMEA region report Skilled Trades roles as the most difficult positions to fill followed by Drivers, Engineers and Sales Representatives. 
• Asia Pacific: Almost half of Asian employers (46%) report hiring difficulties, with Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong reporting the most challenges, down five percentage points year-over-year. Just 10% of Chinese employers report difficulty, the lowest of all countries surveyed, and a steep fall from the 24% reported in 2015. For the first time in 11 years of the Talent Shortage Survey employers are reporting the most difficulty filling IT Staff roles - up from 5^th position in 2015.
• Americas: 42% of employers report difficulty filling jobs across the Americas - Argentina is suffering the most acute talent shortage (59%) and Canada is experiencing the least difficulty (34%). The roles at the top of the charts remain the same as 2015; Skilled Trades positions continue to be the hardest-to-fill in the Americas region, followed by Technicians and Sales Representatives. Roles in Production/Machine Operators are becoming harder to fill, moving from 8^th place in 2015 to 4^th in 2016. As in other regions, IT Staff re-enters the top 10 for the first time since 2012 as the tenth hardest job to fill in 2016.

For more details on the talent shortages around the world, including an interactive data explorer tool, infographics, videos and thought leadership articles, visit ManpowerGroup's Talent Shortage web page at www.manpowergroup.com/talentshortage.

About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN) is the world's workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for nearly 70 years. As workforce experts, we connect more than 600,000 people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands - Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions - we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2016, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com

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SOURCE ManpowerGroup