Feb 22 - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Dennis Darrow The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.

 

Evidence continues to mount that companies are now struggling to find enough skilled applicants given the nation's low jobless rate.

On Tuesday, Manpower Inc., the world's largest temporary staffing company, released findings from its latest survey on U.S. and global job vacancies.

In the U.S., nearly 1 of every 2 employers (44 percent) reported difficulty in filling positions due to a lack of suitable talent, the company said.

The problem is even more severe in less-educated countries. In Mexico, three of four companies reported difficulty in finding qualified workers, Manpower reported.

Manpower's survey follows a recent study by the National Associaiton of Manufacturers that found 81 percent of U.S. companies report moderate to severe shortages in skilled workers.

The situation will get worse, the Association of Manufacturers forecasts.

Beyond the nation's low jobless rate - 4.7 percent in January - baby boomers will soon begin retiring in droves and take their skills with them, the group says.

Also, the skills that younger generations need to help companies compete globablly will continue to ratchet up, the group says.

Manpower in its survey identified a top 10 list of hard-to-fill jobs. They include sales representatives, engineers, nurses, information technicians and call center operators.

Manpower surveyed 1,300 companies in the U.S. and nearly 33,000 employers worldwide.

Globally, about 40 percent of companies report a lack of skilled workers, slightly below the U.S. rate, the company said.

"We are experiencing growing pains in the U.S. as we shift from a skills-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. Note that the top five jobs that are hardest to fill all require advanced training and skills," said Jonas Prising, president of Manpower in North America.

Worldwide, employers reporting the most difficulty finding the right people to fill jobs are those in Mexico (78% report shortages), Canada (66%) and Japan (58%). The talent shortage appears to be least problematic in India, where only 13 percent of employers report difficulty in filling positions.-46.2611,069.06-19.402,262.96-4.201,283.04 Wednesday, February 22, 20068A

The top 10 hardest-to-fill jobs, according to a new survey by staffing giant Manpower Inc.:

- Sales representatives.

- Engineers.

- Nurses.

- Information technicians.

- Accountants.

- Administrative assistants.

- Drivers.

- Call center operators.

- Machinists.

- Management/executive.