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Are school leavers any better now than a decade ago?

Submitted by Mike Davies on Fri, 04/03/2011 - 10:29

Was just reading the CMI research showing that 90% or so of employers feel school leavers are no better equipped for work than they were a decade ago.

Is this a fair assumption of the current situation?  If so, why is the system failing to produce work ready youngsters?

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Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Fri, 04/03/2011 - 11:41 Profile image

Good question Mike.  I've setup a poll if you wanted to cast your vote.

http://www.managers.org.uk/content/are-school-leavers-equipped-world-work

Here is the press release for those unfamiliar with the research.

http://www.managers.org.uk/news/education-failures-“damage-economic-performance”-stark-warning-managers-campus-cmi-aims-break-c

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Fri, 04/03/2011 - 11:56 Profile image

You've probably seen and heard the various discussions in the media about this topic.  Here is Ruth Spellman talking to 5 Live this morning on the topic.

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Fri, 04/03/2011 - 12:51 Profile image

Here is our research if people want to browse the full research.

 

CMI Tomorrow's Leaders
View more documents from CMI .

 

Submitted by on Fri, 04/03/2011 - 15:34

It's all very well employers saying that, but what are they personally doing to improve the situation?

Submitted by Peter Elliott CMgr MCMI on Sat, 05/03/2011 - 08:17 Profile image

To my mind it's all a bit more fundamental and starts with parenting - or a lack thereof.

You only have to sit in a cafe or restaurant to see parents with absolutely no control of their kids - the kids being in clear control of their parents - and these are just toddlers!

Children are being sent out to school with no basic understanding of discipline or manners and are hence unruly in the classroom with no desire to learn. Teachers are pretty much powerless to discipline them (who'd be a teacher?).

I think it all stems from this and until the cause is addressed rather than the symptoms, nothing will change and we'll be having this discussion in 20-year's time.

Submitted by on Sat, 05/03/2011 - 17:25

Looks like everyone in the West is doomed anyway, at least if this article is to be believed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/28/education-jobs-middl...

Submitted by Matt Chapman on Tue, 27/09/2011 - 10:43

A business leader called on Britain's schools today to do more to encourage enterprise among young people in a bid to drive economic growth.

Sir Brian Souter, chief executive of transport giant Stagecoach, said urgent action was needed to boost the employability of youngsters and improve their skills.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-business/article-23990935-call-on-schools-to-do-more-to-encourage-enterprise.do

Submitted by on Tue, 27/09/2011 - 14:07

Didn't Brian Souter claim recently that Google were fiddling search results against his company?