Learning and Development News

Employers fear they will be unable to bridge skills gaps

By Sue Mennell (21-04-2008)
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Learning and Development News - Employers fear they will be unable to bridge skills gaps

The results of  the CBI/Edexcel Education & Skills Survey 2008 which was conducted amongst 735 firms, employing 1.7 million people between them shows employers are increasingly concerned that they will be unable to find people who have the skills they need for the growth of their businesses. 

The most highly valued skills are team-working and communications skills, but basic literacy and numeracy skills are still not up to scratch.  This has such a damaging impact on customer service and productivity that a quarter of employers are investing in remedial literacy and numeracy training.

The CBI’s Deputy Director-General, John Cridland, said: “A worrying number of employers have little confidence that they will be able to plug their skills gaps. In our new stock take of the nation’s skills, too many firms also say poor basic skills are hampering customer service and acting as a drag on their business’s performance.”

Responding to the survey results, TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, called for employers to work with unions to offer training and to show their commitment to increasing the skills of their employees by signing up to the Skills Pledge.

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