Too many Graduates?

A paper by the Institute for Public Policy Research says too much attention has been paid to increasing the number of graduates, whilst over the next decade only a third of new jobs will be in occupations, requiring a degree level qualification, while the rest will be in medium and low-skilled areas. They say that by 2022 there will be 3.6 million new jobs in medium-skilled occupations, including "associate professional" jobs in healthcare, skilled trades and public services, which will employ people with Level 3 vocational qualifications or above or with Apprenticeships.

The study says that in some sectors there is a "mismatch" between the skills/qualifications needed by businesses and those held by workers, with 39% of openings in skilled trades due to skills shortages. The IPPR say, "In their desire to 'win the global race', policy makers have focused on increasing the number of graduates in the economy. However, Britain also needs stronger and better quality vocational education, coupled with new business models that make better use of workforce skills and enable companies to move up the value chain. This will require employers to engage in a more meaningful way in vocational education and skills development. Without action in these areas, our economy will not be equipped to compete successfully on the global stage."  [ source: GTAssociates ]