Monday 07 Apr 2008 @ 10:23
Learning and Skills Network
Learning and Skills Network
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Young people lack the reading, writing and maths skills that employers want, according to new research
Employers are struggling to find young people with the right skills for work, suggests new research by the Learning and Skills Network (LSN).
The research reveals that when recruiting a school or college leaver employers look for people who can read, write, do basic maths and show enthusiasm for work, above anything else. But, only 13% of employers who had tried to recruit a young person said that they have always been successful. Many who failed to recruit a school or college leaver indicated that it was because candidates lacked literacy or numeracy skills, or did not have the right attitude to work.
The survey of 1137 employers was carried out by YouGov on behalf of the Learning and Skills Network (LSN). The research report ‘Employability Skills Explored’ was launched by LSN at its Employability Skills evening reception on Wednesday 2nd April 2008.
The employers who took part in the survey were asked what skills they would expect a young person who has just left school, college or a training scheme to have in order to be employable. Eight out of ten employers said timekeeping skills, 79% said literacy skills and 77% numeracy skills. When asked to rank a list of 14 skills in order of importance, employers ranked communication skills one, literacy two and numeracy third.
Employers were also asked to identify ‘deal breaker’ skills, or the skills that if not present would prevent them from selecting a young candidate for a job. Fifty-five percent named literacy skills as a deal breaker and 51% said communication skills. Enthusiasm and commitment were the next most frequently named deal breaker skills, with 48% of employers indicating that this was the case. And 47% of employers said that numeracy was a deal breaker.
The survey results went on to reveal that many employers are struggling to recruit the young people they need for their businesses. Out of the employers who had tried to recruit school and college leavers, only 13% said they had always been able to find young people with the right skills for their business. Those employers who found it difficult to recruit young people were then asked to name the skills that they found young people lacked and the ones cited most frequently, in rank order were:
The survey also uncovered evidence of a generation gap in the recruitment of young people, suggesting that older recruiters are harder to convince that school and college leavers have the skills they are looking for. Sixty-two percent of employers aged over 55 said they could not recruit the young people they need for their business. By comparison, only 26% of respondents in the 25-34 age bracket held the same view.
Commenting on the research, John Stone, Chief Executive, Learning and Skills Network said:
“Above all else, employers want young people who are looking for their first job to be literate, numerate and communicate well. Attitude is also important, employers want young job candidates to be good at timekeeping and show enthusiasm and commitment to work. This is a key issue that needs to be addressed if we are to equip young people with the skills they need for work and reduce levels of youth unemployment.”
To download your copy free of charge please click on the following link: download here
Media contacts
To arrange an interview or for more information, please contact:
Liz Marshall, ImageWorks PR, 07796697593 or Liz@imageworkspr.co.uk
Notes for editors
1. The Learning and Skills Network (LSN) is an independent not for profit organisation committed to making a difference to education and training. It is one of the two successor organisations of the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA). Visit: www.lsneducation.org.uk.
2. According to government Labour Force data published in March 2008 unemployment in the UK stood at 5.2%, but among people aged 16-24 years old it stood at 14.1%.
3. Chris Humphries, CBE, Chief Executive of the UK Commission for Employability Skills is speaking at the Learning and Skills Network’s Employability Skills evening reception on 2nd April 2008.
The research reveals that when recruiting a school or college leaver employers look for people who can read, write, do basic maths and show enthusiasm for work, above anything else. But, only 13% of employers who had tried to recruit a young person said that they have always been successful. Many who failed to recruit a school or college leaver indicated that it was because candidates lacked literacy or numeracy skills, or did not have the right attitude to work.
The survey of 1137 employers was carried out by YouGov on behalf of the Learning and Skills Network (LSN). The research report ‘Employability Skills Explored’ was launched by LSN at its Employability Skills evening reception on Wednesday 2nd April 2008.
The employers who took part in the survey were asked what skills they would expect a young person who has just left school, college or a training scheme to have in order to be employable. Eight out of ten employers said timekeeping skills, 79% said literacy skills and 77% numeracy skills. When asked to rank a list of 14 skills in order of importance, employers ranked communication skills one, literacy two and numeracy third.
Employers were also asked to identify ‘deal breaker’ skills, or the skills that if not present would prevent them from selecting a young candidate for a job. Fifty-five percent named literacy skills as a deal breaker and 51% said communication skills. Enthusiasm and commitment were the next most frequently named deal breaker skills, with 48% of employers indicating that this was the case. And 47% of employers said that numeracy was a deal breaker.
The survey results went on to reveal that many employers are struggling to recruit the young people they need for their businesses. Out of the employers who had tried to recruit school and college leavers, only 13% said they had always been able to find young people with the right skills for their business. Those employers who found it difficult to recruit young people were then asked to name the skills that they found young people lacked and the ones cited most frequently, in rank order were:
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- The right attitude
- Communications
The survey also uncovered evidence of a generation gap in the recruitment of young people, suggesting that older recruiters are harder to convince that school and college leavers have the skills they are looking for. Sixty-two percent of employers aged over 55 said they could not recruit the young people they need for their business. By comparison, only 26% of respondents in the 25-34 age bracket held the same view.
Commenting on the research, John Stone, Chief Executive, Learning and Skills Network said:
“Above all else, employers want young people who are looking for their first job to be literate, numerate and communicate well. Attitude is also important, employers want young job candidates to be good at timekeeping and show enthusiasm and commitment to work. This is a key issue that needs to be addressed if we are to equip young people with the skills they need for work and reduce levels of youth unemployment.”
To download your copy free of charge please click on the following link: download here
Media contacts
To arrange an interview or for more information, please contact:
Liz Marshall, ImageWorks PR, 07796697593 or Liz@imageworkspr.co.uk
Frank Villeneuve – Smith, Head of Communications, Learning and Skills Network, 020 7492 5141 or fvsmith@lsneducation.org.uk
Notes for editors
1. The Learning and Skills Network (LSN) is an independent not for profit organisation committed to making a difference to education and training. It is one of the two successor organisations of the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA). Visit: www.lsneducation.org.uk.
2. According to government Labour Force data published in March 2008 unemployment in the UK stood at 5.2%, but among people aged 16-24 years old it stood at 14.1%.
3. Chris Humphries, CBE, Chief Executive of the UK Commission for Employability Skills is speaking at the Learning and Skills Network’s Employability Skills evening reception on 2nd April 2008.
