The retail industry in Australia needs to focus on skills and training in order to meet future challenges.

This is the conclusion reached by Forrester, which has suggested more needs to be done by the sector to exploit the growing move of consumers from the high street to the internet, Business Day reports.

According to the research group, recruitment and retention of staff is one of the key problems hampering businesses in the field, with greater development of skilled e-commerce employees needed.

The study may be of interest to those seeking IT jobs in Australia, with calls from retailers to address a perceived unfair tax system in favor of web-based shopping.

Daniel Feiler, eBay Australia head of communications, stated: "While the e-commerce sector overseas has been steadily growing and getting better only a few players here have invested in it."

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there was a 0.2 point drop in joblessness to five per cent during December 2010, with a further 2,300 people employed in the nation during the month from November.

Posted by Lee Thrace