UK government should upskill managers to level up the country, CMI says
The UK government should invest in efforts to upskill Britain’s managers in its bid to tackle regional inequality, according to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
The trade body for managers said the government should fund schemes to improve Britain’s leadership skills, in order to increase productivity and level up the country.
CMI chief executive Ann Francke said: “It’s good to see the Government recognising that levelling up is as much about people as it is about places.”
However, the CMI chief said it is vital the government invests in training for managers.
“Unless people have the right skills to do their jobs, local businesses won’t grow, areas won’t regenerate and productivity won’t improve.”
The CMI said government investment is needed to make up for the failure of Britain’s private sector companies to invest in training for its managers.
Only a third of all UK businesses and 13 per cent of Britain’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) invest in training for managers.
“Management and leadership skills are core skills that ensure people can access high quality employment and thrive in that employment – problem solving, team working and communication,” Francke said.
The comments come as figures from the CMI show that there are significantly more senior management positions in London and the South East than there are in the North of England.
The CMI’s figures also show that people from poorer backgrounds are much less likely to hold management positions than people from wealthier ones, particularly in London and the South East.
Meanwhile, the CMI warned that the pandemic is set to make the situation worse, as young people from wealthier backgrounds have disproportionately stayed in education while those from poorer backgrounds have not.
In missing out on educational and employment opportunities during the pandemic, young people from poorer backgrounds are likely to suffer from a “scarring” effect which could hinder their progression in the future.