Work-related skills come first for South Yorkshire businesses

21 March 2007

A new report shows four out of five businesses in South Yorkshire rate work-related skills as their top recruitment priority.

When they are looking to hire young people, 81 per cent of employers put work-related skills first. In second place, 67 per cent - two thirds - of businesses said they look for recruits with work experience relevant to their industry. This will be food for thought for young people considering taking vocational options at GCSE.

The research was carried out by the South Yorkshire Educational Project and questioned nearly 1400 employers, students, teachers and parents. It suggested that young people are becoming more savvy about their vocational options, with over half knowing that vocational subjects can be studied at GCSE level. However, only one in five parents was aware of this.

The report comes as many of South Yorkshire's young people are choosing their GCSE options and considering complementing traditional subjects with vocational qualifications in areas such as engineering, construction and ICT. These courses offer a practical, hands-on approach to education and offer real work-based learning opportunities for students through work placements and applied learning.

According to Alan Marshall of the South Yorkshire Educational Project, "businesses are calling for a future workforce that is skilled as well as educated, and the education system is responding to this need. Now, increasingly, young people are taking up the option of supplementing traditional ways of learning with other qualifications that are directly linked to the world of work, and giving themselves a great start on their career path."