Work training ‘more valuable’ than third-level education

MORE emphasis should be placed on improving the skills of workers rather than the misguided strategy of increasing the number of graduates, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) said yesterday.

ICTU insisted continual training of the workforce would prove much more valuable to the economy than third-level education. ICTU general secretary David Begg said the policy of churning out people with university degrees and college diplomas had to be changed.

"Eighty per cent of those currently at work will still be there in 20 years' time so producing new graduates will have no impact on them. What we need to do is upgrade their skills," he said.

Mr Begg noted a study, conducted by the University of Ottowa, which found that increasing the skill levels of those at work proved to be more effective in terms of economic growth, rather than taking the route of increasing the supply of graduates.

"That study showed that acquiring certain defined competencies not only confirms advantages on individuals, but also raises their productivity. The benefit of reducing the number of people with very low skills shows up more clearly than that of increasing the number with the highest skills," he said.

Congress called for more learning leave for employees, the introduction of paid fees for part-time learners and the creation of a fresh impetus around on learning.