IT Skills Gap: Finding Tech Staff for UK Businesses

Finding good tech talents nowadays seems to be a much more daunting task than getting a booking for a Sunday roast in Manchester?

You post the vacancy, hang on, and refresh the inbox absolutely in the same mood as you would do so to watch paint drying. Then, just as you anticipate, the CVs come, but none of them are a snug fit.

This is practically a demonstration of the IT skills gap. And indeed, the UK businesses are feeling it quite emphatically.

Firms all from the Northern Quarter in Manchester to the business parks in Milton Keynes are, in fact, after the same expertise. Cloud analysts and security experts. Even people who are actually fluent in modern IT support!

Cleartwo is here precisely for this reason. We aid in filling the gap through providing intelligent support, cutting-edge tools, and a no-nonsense plan that works.

Significance of the IT skills gap for UK companies

Envision the IT skills gap as roadworks happening on the M60. Though you might still reach your destination, it will cost you more, take more time, and try your patience.

UK companies today find themselves competing not just against banks and high street retailers for the same tech talent, but they also include football clubs in that list.

As per the data obtained from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, more than 70 percent of employers in the UK are confronted with the task of attempting to fill tech-specific positions.

Consequently, it impacts growth. It drags projects. It elevates the risks.

 If you’re having technical issues, every minute is money. According to Gardner, IT downtimes can cost thousands of pounds for medium-sized companies.

IT Skills Gap: What tech staff are UK businesses actually missing?

Wait a second! What exactly is missing here?

It is not only the developers. There are also cloud CRM specialists, cybersecurity experts, and those who are aware of business automation but not the ones who are pretending.

Aside from roles that frame the use of AI-driven solutions, these are unicorns – scarce and difficult to catch.

Look! This is a typical UK business team in the Northwest, which is currently checking their IT setup and digital tools.

The abyss is vast. Because technology grows faster than the rate of training, universities lag behind, and small businesses cannot afford London salaries.

Business owners feel as if they are stuck in limbo, which makes them feel like watching a soccer game live on a poor stream.

How UK businesses are making endeavours to solve the gap

Hiring is always, by all means, the first step taken by the firms. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, that may not be the case.

A very capable IT manager is sold at a price of 60,000 a year but you also have to add the pension, training, equipment, and your budget is really taking a blow.

Some other companies bring in contractors, which are excellent for a short time but make planning on a long time painful.

So, smart companies consider managed IT support as the solution.

With a partner like Cleartwo? That is switching from the local corner shop to the supermarket: More choice, better cover, and all under one roof.

Tools and solutions that bridge the gap

Technology itself can ease the pressure for your people.

Cloud platforms eliminate manual work. Digital marketing tools automate campaigns. Custom CRM systems help to slice admin down to size.

A cloud-based helpdesk, remote support, and popular AI marketing tools at your service are the standard ones that UK businesses are investing in.

According to World Economic Forum research, automation can reduce IT workloads by up to 30%.

Consequently, employees will feel more accomplished. Be smart, and opt for the right choice.

Getting the main choices straight

Here is a quick comparison list of your options:

• In-house hire
• Contract staff
• Outsourced IT support
• Co-managed model
• Automation tools
• Training existing team

In-house gives control but costs more. Outsourcing gives speed and depth. A co-managed model is often the sweet spot for UK SMEs.

You can get a further read on this on our managed IT support page.

Actually Working Best Practices

First, you need to stop chasing unicorns.

Find solid people who are trainable and back them with good systems.

Second, systems documentation is a must.

When your staff go, your knowledge should not walk out with them.

Thirdly, besides documentation, embrace automation.

Automation in the business will free your employees from mundane jobs and keep them sharp.

Fourth, get proper IT for business support.

A reactive setup inevitably costs more. Trust me, I’ve seen it.

Budgeting considerations for UK firms

Budgets are a primary concern outside London.

Generally, IT support packages in the UK tend to be in the range of 30 to 90 per user a month.

This usually is lesser the cost of one junior hire.

The UK Government digital skills reports also note that SMEs bring in savings in the long run by outsourcing.

With Cleartwo, there are no hidden costs. Everything is clear from the very start, and there aren’t any surprise invoices.

Common blunders to prevent

One major mistake is the delay in acting.

Another one is hiring without a vision.

Some firms invest in the newest shiny tools but skip training.

Others embrace IT security for SMEs when the time is already too late.

Cyber attacks, not to forget, are focused on the small businesses more than the big ones.

Good support however seriously lowers that risk.

Masses cannot tell what you are doing.

You cannot do something you do not measure.

Keep a close watch on the downtime, response times, and employee satisfaction.

Also keep a note of growth.

When your systems scale smoothly, it means you have a running IT setup.

Cleartwo will deliver clean reporting so that your visibility is quite evident,

There would be no visual effect. No trickery. Proper transparency.

A UK case example

A retailer right here in the Northwest came to us struggling with e-commerce marketing and patchy IT support.

They couldn’t hire the right people locally it’s a familiar story.

We stepped in with managed support, web development, and security upgrades.

Within three months, downtime dropped and online sales picked up.

The owner said it felt like gaining a full IT team overnight.

How Cleartwo helps close the gap

We don’t just fix laptops.

We support growth.

From cloud CRM to AI-driven solutions, we help UK businesses work smarter not harder.

Our team covers IT support, security, automation, and digital systems.

Take a look at our IT support services or see how our digital transformation services help firms scale up smoothly.

Call to action

The IT skills gap isn’t going anywhere.

But you don’t have to fight it all alone.

Finding tech staff feels like going about and looking for the last sausage roll on Deansgate on a Sunday? Let’s chat.

Contact Cleartwo and create an IT setup that truly backs your business properly, simply, and sensibly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the IT skills gap so bad in the UK?
To demand has outstripped training, especially in areas like AI and security. As such, it’s like teaching someone to drive in rush hour traffic; the pace is relentless.

Is outsourcing IT support cheaper than hiring?
For many UK SMEs, yes. It often costs less than one full-time hire that’s proper value.

Can small businesses benefit from managed IT support?
Absolutely. It gives access to skills that would otherwise be out of reach for smaller teams.

Does automation really reduce staffing needs?
Yes. Business automation cuts manual work and frees staff for the clever stuff the jobs that really move the needle.

How quickly can Cleartwo get started?
Usually within days, depending on your setup and needs. No faffing about.