Business owners fear that they will not be able to find enough highly skilled workers to meet their needs, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

The CBI believes that demand for skilled workers will rise with the recovery but in a survey of 700 bosses across a range of companies half of employers think they will not be able to find the right people.

Despite the recession nearly half of employers said they were already having difficulty recruiting staff with skills in science, technology, engineering and maths, with manufacturers and science-related businesses finding it hardest to find staff.

Despite the recession nearly half of employers said they were already having difficulty recruiting staff with skills in science, technology, engineering and maths
The CBI's director general Richard Lambert urged the new government to take a lead.

"In the future, people with qualifications in science and maths will be particularly sought after, and firms say it is already hard to find people with the right technical or engineering skills. The new government must make encouraging more young people to study science-related subjects a top priority," said Richard Lambert of the CBI.

Business leaders were asked for tips as to which subjects that would be most likely to lead to a job.

A total of 42% of bosses, who responded to the survey, said young job seekers should pick business studies, while 21% thought Maths was best for career prospects and 13% said English. Psychology and Sociology were at the bottom of the list of requirements.

The survey also revealed that employers remain committed to providing apprenticeships, despite the recent recession. The construction and manufacturing sectors are providing the most apprenticeships in the UK.