“It has long been clear that we are failing to produce the qualified, well-rounded students that employers need if the country is to succeed in a modern global economy”.
The wise-and worrying-words of Times editor, Tony Gallagher, introducing his paper’s Education commission.
I cannot agree more.
It also reflects the early research from Business West’s detailed work for government on the Local Skills Plans or LSIPs in our region.
Forgive me if I return to the focus on skills again in this column. I believe it is just so important in what is a desperate search for economic growth.
Tied in with this Times Education Summit, a poll by YouGov is alarming.
It found that the majority of us-two thirds in fact-believe pupils are ill prepared for their futures and a lack of workplace skills is holding Britain back.
Employment and skills must now be put at the heart of the education curriculum.
The YouGov poll also found that only 13 per cent of people believed the education system was preparing young people to work in areas where there is a skills shortage, such as IT, engineering and healthcare.
And more than half of those polled believed our education system prepared young people badly for the jobs that would exist in the future.
It is fact that so many of these jobs probably do not actually exist now.
And the school curriculum often seems to have little real relevance to opportunities in the world of work for young people.
It doesn’t help, of course, that there have been ten education secretaries in as many years.
Where is the long term plan that business is crying out for to employ work ready, enthusiastic young people?
I hope that Business West’s work on the Local Skills Improvement Plans will help but this will really only pinpoint what the employers need from young people.
Business must expect wholesale curr iculum change which will bring experienced career advisers into schools so young people are not rudderless in their ambitions.
Young people are our future. We must give them the enthusiasm to grow their ambitions which will also help to grow our economy.
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