Employers 'concerned over skills'

Four out of ten employers have said in a new survey that they do not think their staff are equipped with basic literacy and numeracy skills.

The poll by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Nord Anglia found that 57 per cent of people with management skills believe their employees lack adequate knowledge of IT.

Science and maths skills are the hardest to find in candidates and staff, the report added, noting that one-third of companies have difficulty recruiting employees with these skills at graduate and postgraduate levels.

Andrew Fitzmaurice, chief executive of Nord Anglia Education, said: "Too little training provided by employers leads to accreditation and we must ensure the qualifications that are on offer meet the needs of business.

"Government must aim its funding at training providers that are best equipped to do the job, regardless of whether they are in the public or private sector."

Last month, the CBI advised graduates to take up work experience placements when still at university in order to boost their employability skills.