The UK skills crisis

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The TUC warned in its 2019 Training trends in Britain survey that the UK is facing a “looming skills crisis” after the analysis confirmed a sharp drop in workplace training.

The research, based on data from the government’s quarterly Labour Force Survey, the UK Household Longitudinal Study, the Skills & Employment Survey and the Employer Skills Survey, found workplace training down by 10% since 2011, with young and lower qualified workers hit hardest.

The report also revealed that:

• employee training courses are becoming shorter with more than a half lasting (56%) less than a week, compared to around a third (34%) in 1996;

• the proportion of off-the-job training has plummeted from 73% in 1996 to 53% in 2018;

• union members are more likely to get training, with 37% saying they accessed training in the last three months compared to 22% of non-union members; but

• with huge cuts to adult education and fewer courses being run for workers, the UK is on a course for a “massive skills deficit”.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The world of work is going to change massively over the coming years. If employers don’t increase workplace training, Britain faces a looming skills and productivity crisis. Everyone must be given the training they need to keep up with changes in technology.” (See page 30 for TUC proposals on key skills policy reforms.)