Declan Moloney, 11 February 2009
Education does not encourage students to gain employability skills, a report suggests.

The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) claims job candidates, including graduates, lack basic skills required for employment such as team working, communication skills and numeracy. It blames education for failing to instil these vital skills into students for when they come to look for jobs.

The report is pushing for key changes to training in education. The UKCES believes without a change in education practices, the UK’s productivity will fall and certain goals that have been set by government will be unachievable.

Sir Mike Rake chairman of UKCES said: “These employability skills are the lubricant of our increasingly complex and interconnected workplace. They are not a substitute for specific knowledge and technical skills: but they make the difference between being good at a subject and being good at doing a job. In 2009, too few people have these skills.”