Technological advances are creating a global talent gap that’s more than doubled in the past decade, according to a new report by ManpowerGroup.

More than 24,400 employers in six industry sectors across 44 countries were surveyed, and more than half (54 per cent) reported a skill shortage, with the largest gaps in the U.S. (69 per cent), Mexico (52 per cent), Italy (47 per cent), and Spain (41 per cent).

“In an increasingly tech-enabled world, people with skills are in demand,” Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup Chairman & CEO said in a statement.

 “… As the pace of disruption accelerates, helping people adapt for future jobs and companies become creators of talent has never been more important.”

The report also interviewed 14,091 workers in 15 countries across all industries to determine what employees want out of an employer.

Answers varied depending on geography, gender and the age of the respondent, but autonomy over work, work-life balance, and career mobility were the top picks.                                    

VIDEO: The digital skills gap

Closing the talent gap

The shift toward more skilled, STEM-based jobs has been happening for some time, with some businesses taking pre-emptive steps to remain competitive.

In July 2019, Amazon announced plans to invest $700 million to retrain 100,000 employees — about a third of its U.S. workforce — in new technologies.

The initiative — called  Upskilling 2025 — aims to offer its employees access to six different programs that focus on a variety of tech skills, like machine learning and software engineering.

Thumbnail image courtesy: Unsplash/Christina @ wocintechchat.com. Graphic elements added by We Rep STEM.