EDITOR'S CHOICE JOIN OUR READER PANEL Join our Reader Panel and make your voice heard LOCAL NEWS Support grows for gardeners September’s weather was a mixed bag LOCAL SPORT Weymouth duo in Celtic challenge GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Shop has its alcohol licence suspended 2 Road improvements cause traffic chaos 3 Woman, 77, is attacked at home 4 Julian is setting the scene in Puddletown 5 Shore it up 6 Pubs are warned about soccer fans 7 Opinion divided over town’s old rail lines 8 I won’t threaten club – Pollock 9 Relief road update 10 Will our homes be demolished? Today | 7 Days 1 Anti-relief road groups outraged at go-ahead 2 Relief road: work begins 3 Bikers call for tram lines to be ripped up 4 Outrage over rejection of free swimming for over-60s 5 MP Knight now a privy counsellor 6 Cup kings 7 "Puerile" T-shirts spark outrage 8 Growing demand for allotments 9 Council gets tough on litter and dog fouling 10 Collection change to boost recycling

Comment

BUSINESSES in Dorset are being urged to tackle poor literacy and numeracy among the workforce.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) South West has dubbed the issue a taboo subject among employers and their staff.

It claims that recent research from the CBI revealed that nationally 5.2 million adults lack the English skills expected of a 14-year-old and 14.9 million would be unable to match them at maths.

John Tempest, who is director of Skills Development (Skills for Life) at the LSC South West, said: "Basic literacy and numeracy skills are a real taboo.

"Many employers either don't recognise it or don't talk about it.

"However, it is clear that a lack of skills is having an impact on productivity, at a time when the economy can least afford it.

"The good news is that the LSC has a range of programmes in place that can help employers, be they in the public or private sector, to support those employees who need to improve their basic skills."

The LSC claims that one in five of the working population currently does not possess sufficient skills for life'.

This is defined as the ability to read, write and speak in English and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function at work and in society'. A total of 1.75 million adults in the South West still have literacy and numeracy skills below Level 2 - the equivalent level to a C grade at GCSE.

Now the LSC is calling on the business community to play their part in addressing this subject, and in particular, help to identify the training requirements of their workforce.

As part of the 21st Century Skills White Paper produced by Lord Leitch, the Government is committed to ensuring 95 per cent of the population has functional' levels of literacy and numeracy by 2020.

The aim is to help to significantly combat the current skill gaps between the UK and other G7 nations.

The LSC says that currently output per hour worked is around 25 per cent higher in the US and Germany and over 30 per cent higher in France.

The first step for many employers towards addressing this issue is the signing of the Skills Pledge.

Created by the LSC, it is a voluntary, public commitment made by a company to support its employees to develop their basic skills, including literacy and numeracy.

This is supported by the Train to Gain service which helps individuals, through their employers, work towards achieving qualifications to at least NVQ Level 2.

11:30am Wednesday 4th June 2008

Print

Email this

Comment