Skills essential to improve UK's competitiveness
18 October 2007
The Leitch review sets increasing targets for skill levels including improved literacy and numeracy and increasing the percentage of adults qualified to Level 2 ( 5 good GCSEs) and Level 4 (graduates). Demand-led vocational education and training is the phrase used.
Of course qualifications are not the only factor in improving skills and assisting the economy. Motivation, mobility, improved career pathways and adaptability are also important. Employers don’t always take a long-term view and only think about current needs, not what will be needed in five or ten years time. New partnerships between education, business and government are essential in order to achieve a sustainable skills strategy. To succeed and survive in a global economy UK Plc needs a highly skilled, talented and motivated workforce.
Ready for anything?
As a US presidential advisor says about current employees, “They have to be ready for anything”. The jobs of the future will need high-level, high-value added skills. The UK government wants 90% of adults to be qualified to Level 2, more graduates and post-graduates and all of us to be willing to train and re-train throughout our careers.
Any company wanting to train its staff should look at the Train to Gain website. You can get tailored training advice for your company, information about the costs involved and help to source public funds.
Employers can take the Skills Pledge, which means they will assist all employees to achieve a Level 2 qualification. More details on Train to Gain ‘s website.
People who need help with Basic Skills like reading, writing and numeracy should look at Business In The Community’s Skills for Life site, while the TUCs unionlearn programme has grown hugely.
If you are employing migrant workers you will now need to pay for them to learn English or suggest that you share the costs with employees.
Companies that have organised training programmes report benefits like improved retention, more internal promotions and increased customer satisfaction. The overall cost to the economy of poor literacy and numeracy is estimated to be £10 billion a year, £4.8 billion for industry. Firms employing fewer than 50 people could be losing £50,000 a year.
Certainly Not Ready for Anything!
More information from:
- Train to Gain: www.traintogain.gov.uk
- Unionlearn: www.unionlearn.org.uk
- Skills for Life: www.bitc.org.uk
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