business focus 15
Chartered accountants Haines Watts presents a series of articles based on its blogs. It offers analysis, reviews and comments and welcomes your feedback at
www.hwca.com/blog
of the month It’s not rocket science writes Colin Fletcher, partner at Haines Watts
Thankfully, the UK economy is showing signs of recovery but its need to compete in the global market puts the spotlight firmly on the skill base of the UK workforce. Employers have long identified weaknesses as they go through the recruitment process. These include:
• literacy, numeracy and technical skills are at a low level
• technical skills are particularly lacking in engineering, manufacturing and construction
• school leavers do not have the right work experience and problem-solving skills.
Several worldwide education performance league tables highlight the fact that the UK is slipping down the rankings.
Recently, there have also been many press reports about the readiness of school leavers for employment in other ways. Nick Hurd, the minister for civil society, said earlier this year: "What we see in survey after survey is employers saying qualifications are important but that just as important to them are so-called soft skills. Qualities like character skills, the ability to get on with different people, to articulate yourself clearly, confidence, grit, self-control ... they are saying we are not seeing enough of this in kids coming out of schools." *
All these problems are likely to hold back growth in a number of industry sectors. Potentially it could even lead to an element of the population, particularly younger groups, being
disenfranchised – indeed, this is already happening.
The UK education system must change, to be a more effective partnership between businesses, the education sector, parents and government.
While successful education systems abroad have demanding examination requirements that is not the sole reason for their success; they are based on rigour, ambition and challenge in everything that is done.
Some elements of the UK education system do aspire to these top standards – this must, however,
become the norm. Children from a young age must be motivated to learn and should be challenged, whatever their abilities. This will then give them the best chance of moving into the workplace with something to contribute. It will also help young people to be able to take their place in society and build a successful life both in and outside the workplace.
*Source Daily Mail Details:
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THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – DECEMBER13/JANUARY14
www.businessmag.co.uk
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