Evidence Report 81 The UK Commission’s Employer Skills Survey is the definitive source of intelligence on employer investment in skills in the UK. The survey was first conducted at UK wide level in 2011, developing from a series of legacy surveys conducted in each of the countries of the UK during the 1990s and the 2000s. The 2013 survey represents the second edition in the combined UK series. It explores the skills challenges that employers face both within their existing workforces and in terms of bringing in new skilled labour, the levels and nature of training investment, recruitment of young people and education leavers and the relationship between skills challenges, training activity and business strategy.

Like its predecessor, the study reports on the experiences of employers at the establishment level, rather than at the enterprise level. Sole traders and establishments with just one employee and no working proprietors were excluded from the survey population.

The survey constitutes a powerful data source: this report presents an initial cut of findings. Accompanying the report are also data tabulations and a data file which can be found here: www.ukces.org.uk/ourwork/employer-skills-survey. Further reports looking at the survey in more depth from different perspectives will follow throughout 2014.