The minister for Adult Skills John Healey yesterday warned businesses that skills shortages in key areas could become worse in future years, with companies unable to fill vacancies created by sector expansion and employee retirement.
His comments were made in response to the publication of the Skills in England report. The report noted that the national 'stock' of skills had increased, but it also registered a shift of patterns of employment into the managerial and profession occupations and away from lower-skilled ones.
Skills in England is an annual assessment, based on research and surveys and data from the RDAs and NTOs. It identifies regional variations in skills, as well as national trends.
The minister identitifed information technology, numeracy and management as the areas in which the UK needs to improve in order to remain competitive. He encouraged businesses to work with local Learning and Skills Councils to ensure that they have a say in developments in training. "These plans will shape training and further education in areas for years to come and business needs to tell the LSC what they want if the plans are to deliver.”
