Weak IT skills hold workers back
Mon 12 May 2008
12/05/2008
A lack of IT skills is making it hard for some people to find work, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and UK Online Centres, said today. Spokespersons from the organisations made a joint statement, which reflected on the difficulties faced by job seekers without computer skills. Jon Gamble, director for adults and lifelong learning (LSC), and Abigail Stevens, communications manager, said "more than 80 per cent of jobs now require ICT skills". They described people without this knowledge as "digitally excluded" and noted they were often paid less. "Research shows that those who are unemployed, economically inactive and not working due to health reasons are almost three times as likely to be 'digitally excluded'", they commented. One in five Britons are unable to open a word processing document or use email, while 16 per cent cannot use search engines such as Google, an ICM poll reported in the Times revealed.
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