There’s a “virtuous and vicious cycle” happening in the world of employment, according to the Social Mobility Commission.
In its Adult Skills Gap report, published earlier this week, the commission revealed that 30 per cent of highly skilled graduates receive the most training when in employment, compared with just 8 per cent of those with low skills or no qualifications at all. The commission says this is particularly concerning because those in the latter group would benefit most of all from additional training.
The report highlights that it’s older men in routine and manual roles who receive the least amount of training, and suggests that funding to support their training should be protected in the budget for the National Retraining Scheme.
Dame Martina Milburn, chair of the Social Mobility Commission, said that too many employers were wasting the potential of employees by not offering training or progression routes to their low- and mid-skilled workers.
She added: “Both employers and the government need to act to address this problem. They should start by increasing their investment in training, to bring it closer to that of international competitors, and prioritise this to those with low or no skills. Doing this would benefit both business and the economy as a whole.”
Degree apprenticeships also took a hit over social mobility this week.
A report called Degree Apprenticeships: Up to Standard?, by Policy Connect and the Higher Education Commission, found that no, they aren’t.
Degree apprenticeship “cold spots” could be emerging in areas of severe educational and economic disadvantage, which means that prospective apprentices will have to travel significant distances to access opportunities. For example: an aspiring apprentice from Norfolk could, on average, have to travel 12 times as far for the nearest opportunities, compared with someone in Hammersmith and Fulham.
The report calls for additional financial support for potential degree apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those living in these “cold spots”.
