Skills Development: Attitudes and perceptions

This international research project was undertaken by CSD to examine the current skills training issues faced by employers, practitioners, researchers and policy makers around the world.

The research took place in three stages:

• Desk research
• Qualitative research (focus groups and in-depth interviews) 
• Quantitative survey

2,000 employers and practitioners were interviewed across nine different countries – Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, India, Malaysia, South Africa and the UK.

• 80% of employers believe that vocational education and training gets employees ready for the workplace.
• 62% of all respondents think esteem for vocational education and training has improved over the last ten years.

Despite these positive findings,

• 54% of respondents believe that their country is facing a ‘skills crisis’.
• 51% of practitioners believe that learners find it difficult to get a job after training.
  

Impact

The findings from this research have been used to inform CSD's strategic direction and project selection to ensure all our work addresses the relevant global challenges highlighted in this report. They are:

• Matching supply and demand
• Achieving employer engagement
• Improving access to quality training
• Improving perceptions of vocational education and training
  
  

  Project Date:

  July 2007 - March 2008