A report released today by Learning & Work Institute, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) shows how tackling skills gaps can help to reduce poverty and improve life chances and calls for urgent action to support millions of adults improve their English and Maths
Some 9 million adults have low literacy, numeracy or both, limiting their chances to find work, build a career, get the best deal online and manage the household finances.
Today’s Learning and Work Institute report outlines three key measures that can tackle these inequalities:
- A new Citizens’ Skills Entitlement. By 2030 all adults should have access to the literacy, numeracy, digital, health and financial capability skills they need. This should be funded by refocusing existing budgets and investing an additional £200m per year investment, doubling current investment. (find out more)
- Shared responsibility. Personal Learning Accounts for individuals and incentives for employers to invest in those with least skills. The aim is for a system that better aligns public and private investment, puts individuals and employers in the driving seat, and better targets public resources on those with the lowest incomes. (find out more)
- A Career Springboard. A Career Advancement Service to help Britain’s 5 million low paid workers to progress, including by working with employers to boost productivity. And an Apprentice Charter to underpin Apprenticeship quality.
Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute commented:
“We’re calling for a new national effort to help adults improve their skills. We need this to boost our economy and make sure everyone gets the best chance in life.
“A weak skills base holds back our future prosperity, but also contributes to poverty – while having skills is not a guarantee of avoiding poverty, lack of skills is almost a guaranteed passport to poverty.
“The UK’s learning and skills system delivers opportunities and second chances every day. But we need to do more so that people get a hand up when they need it. Poverty is not inevitable and improving skills can help to tackle it.
“These are practical and affordable changes, building on what already works and changing what works less well. Taken together, these changes would provide a framework for increasing our overall national prosperity, cutting poverty and increasing opportunity.”
[Source:- learningandwork]