Business issues

Education and skills

Education and skills are the most important part of the UK’s long-term growth strategy. Higher standards and better levels of attainment are the essential underpin in the rebalancing process and in building the prosperous society we all want to see.

Our future depends on getting every young person to reach a good standard of core knowledge and skills, a standard that will give them the capacities to cope with the fast changing world of the future.

In our First steps report last year, we called for an overhaul of the school system to better deliver for the country as a whole – this year we are taking forward our recommendations as part of our high profile Raising Ambition for All campaign.

Read all about the CBI's Ambition for All education campaign >>

Education reform will help more young people to the starting line, and then we need to invest in skills.

The jobs of the future will need more skills and at higher levels, so a core element of the UK’s long-term growth strategy is raising skill levels so businesses are equipped with the talent they need to succeed.

Skills shortages are already impacting key sectors and demand for higher level skills set to rise, the CBI is looking at how we can tackle some of the major skills challenges facing UK business.