Young have top IT skills, but lack literacy and numeracy, says CBI
Young people entering employment now have excellent IT skills, but are still lacking basic literacy and numeracy, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry and Pearson on education and skills released today.
The poll, which included the views of 291 companies employing more than 1.5m people, found that 96 per cent of employers were satisfied with the IT skills of their young workers.
However, over one-third of the companies polled were unsatisfied with their young workers’ literacy and numeracy skills, and 85 per cent think schools needed to focus more on this.
John Cridland, CBI director-general, said: “Businesses feel very strongly that the education system must better prepare young people for life outside the school gates, or risk wasting their talents.”