Let’s revive custom of gaining skills at work
Feb 6 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal
DOES anyone remember a time when skilled workers were the lifeblood of the country?
Maybe I am showing my age here, but I do. Some of you may argue that this is still the case, but even those who believe this cannot be blind to the changing landscape of industry.
The accessibility and popularity of universities has grown immensely in recent times. Once, leaving school and getting a skill was the norm.
It seems nowadays though that getting a degree or other related qualification has become much more viable to a much bigger audience – no bad thing – but perhaps an explanation for the change of attitude to careers.
However, employers and workers need to be aware that there are routes and support available for people of all ages to complete an apprenticeship and then progress to higher education in tandem with their work life.
The notion that leaving school and going straight into employment consigns you to a lifetime of poor salaries needs to be consigned to the dustbin of the past.
The North-East was once renowned for its heavy engineering, but alas this is no more.
The Leitch Report of 2006 has stated that if businesses want to remain competitive, they have to invest more in skills, because without a more skilled and qualified workforce we will not improve our productivity. I am urging every business in the North-East to address this situation, by signing up to the Skills Pledge now.
The Skills Pledge is a voluntary, public commitment by the leadership of a company or organisation to support all its employees to develop their basic skills, including literacy and numeracy, and work towards relevant, valuable qualifications to at least Level 2 (equivalent to 5 good GCSEs).
It may sound shocking, but compared with other countries one of our biggest skills problems is the number of adults in the workforce who do not have basic literacy and numeracy skills.
The Skills Pledge is a public commitment to enable your staff – in whichever way works best for you – to gain the basic skills and competencies that are valuable in supporting business needs and their future employability, and to achieve relevant qualifications to recognise those skills.
If your business already meets this, then make a commitment to go beyond these basic qualifications and pledge to help your employees go on to achieve higher skills and foundation degrees, because this is what your company is going to need if it wants to prosper.
The NECC and countless leading businesses are leading by example in signing the Skills Pledge. If you have not done so already, then now is the time.
Karen Brown NECC director of training and skills development.
