An increasing number of employers are having problems recruiting suitably qualified staff, with engineering jobs hardest to fill, according to a new report today.

A survey of more than 2,000 firms by employment group Manpower found that one in six reported problems filling vacancies, almost twice as many as last year.

Jobs which were most difficult to fill included engineering, chefs, sales reps, drivers, teachers and finance staff.

Mark Cahill, managing director of Manpower, said: "Britain is facing a serious talent shortage in certain sectors at a time when unemployment is actually rising.

"Part of the reason we continue to see the same professions feature in the list every year is that the jobs have structurally changed, as have the skills required, but training in these professions has yet to catch up.

"The recession, and now this slow recovery, has made the talent mismatch in the UK even more stark. Many organisations that have previously cut their headcounts are now finding that they need to increase their workforce in an increasingly talent-hungry market.

"Though the UK suffers less than other countries, there is no doubt that globally we are heading towards an employability crisis."