67% of organisations in the UK lack the finances or time to invest sufficiently in training, research by a software company has suggested.

A survey of over 100 HR and IT managers by UPMentors also suggested that a quarter of businesses will try to solve skills shortages through recruitment rather than training.

15% said they struggled to identify skills needs.

UPMentors co-founder, Julian Homes, said: "People, together with their skills, are the most important part of any business, and those who fail to invest in their employees’ development will fail to deliver business value from their IT systems, value which is essential to business survival in today’s economic climate."

Earlier this month, the government published a new skills strategy, to mixed reactions from industry.