CBI: Workers branded low-skilled

News Article - 23 May 2012
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The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has called upon the government to implement reforms to the qualifications framework to stop British workers being wrongly labelled as having few skills.

According to the organisation, many employees are branded low-skilled because the training systems they follow at work are not recognised.

Steps should be taken to rectify this imbalance, the CBI urges, adding that the first step to reaching equilibrium would be to allow companies to award their own nationally-recognised qualifications.

John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI, said: "Our best schemes deliver results on a par with anything the rest of the world can offer, yet too much of what employers currently do just is not measured in the national qualification statistics."

He added that training should be officially recognised to ensure that the skills of workers are accurately reflected.

The government should move towards recognising in-house training by setting up pilot schemes to trial training methods, the CBI states.

In related news, companies in Wales are set to tackle low literacy and numeracy rates by providing training for employees.

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