Policy Hub
On 11 December 2008, the think tank Demos published a report (The skills paradox: confronting inequality in adult learning) which looks at Britain's skills gap and highlights a damaging paradox - those with the least skills are the least likely to train – which, it notes, is a social as well as an economic issue.
The report observes that, while high skills are worth more in labour markets than ever before, millions still lack basic skills. Moreover, the people most likely to take part in formal learning are those who are already well qualified.
Underlining the progressive goals of adult learning, the report argues that there is a danger that it can lead to greater polarisation in skills, leaving Britain less productive and less equal. It explores which policies can help reverse this trend and explains that reform of the education and training system is important but insufficient.
People face everyday barriers to training – from busy personal lives to low-skilled jobs – which serve to limit their access to training opportunities. The report insists that a coherent skills strategy needs to work on three fronts: the labour market, the training system and people’s everyday lives.
The skills paradox: confronting inequality in adult learning (PDF)