This report provides examples and recommendations to help overcome obstacles to engage low-skilled workers and their employers in skills development. England has implemented impressive measures aimed at helping workers and employers to upskill. Nonetheless, there remains room for improvement.

This report provides examples and recommendations to help overcome obstacles to engage low-skilled workers and their employers in skills development. England has implemented impressive measures aimed at helping workers and employers to upskill. Nonetheless, there remains room for improvement. More can be done to identify workers with low basic skills, raise awareness of why improving those skills is important, increase the accessibility to relevant courses, ensure these courses are flexible enough to accommodate adult learners who are already employed, and finally make the provision relevant to career aspirations. This report urges England to establish and promote a vision for raising the skills of low-skilled workers, identify their needs more systematically, and provide targeted guidance and information to them and their employers. It highlights that accessible and flexible adult learning opportunities in the workplace, home, community and by other means such as online and distance learning can better meet the varied needs of low-skilled workers. It also makes the case for the use of contextualised learning approaches, which create connections between basic skills and vocational context, and a more effective use of basic skills in workplaces to maintain, develop and realise the benefits of prior skills investments.

This report, “OECD Skills Strategy Northern Ireland (United Kingdom): Assessment and Recommendations”, identifies opportunities and makes recommendations to reduce skills imbalances, create a culture of lifelong learning, transform workplaces to make better use of skills, and strengthen the governance of skills policies in Northern Ireland.

Economic growth is resuming, but challenges remain. Gradual fiscal consolidation is required over the short term to support the return of inflation to target and rebuild fiscal space, following substantial support during the pandemic and the energy crisis. Growing spending needs due to ageing and investment necessary to support the green transition call for tax reforms to strengthen revenues. Supply-side reforms are needed to sustain growth, including by providing businesses with certainty regarding taxation and land use planning to boost investment, and by strengthening work incentives to reduce economic inactivity. The United Kingdom is a front runner in the progress to reach net zero by 2050, but more effort is needed to accelerate emission reductions in residential housing, including a clear long-term strategy, pricing signals, regulatory timelines, and financial support to stimulate the market for decarbonised heating solutions. SPECIAL FEATURES: BOOSTING LABOUR SUPPLY; ENHANCING BUSINESS INVESTMENT TO LIFT PRODUCTIVITY; GREENING THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSING SECTOR

This book examines access to training by SMEs across seven regions in six OECD countries: New Zealand, Poland, Belgium, UK, Turkey and Canada.

A changing world of work brings the importance of Vocational Education and Training (VET) to the forefront, as it has the ability to develop the skills that are needed in today’s labour markets and societies. At the same time, structural changes highlight the need to re-engineer certain parts of VET systems in some countries to make them more resilient and ensure they can make the most of the opportunities ongoing changes present.

This book brings the reader information on innovative initiatives that have succeeded in bringing new skills to people formerly trapped in low-wage jobs in various OECD countries.

The OECD Skills Strategy provides a strategic and comprehensive approach for ensuring that people and countries have the skills to thrive in a complex, interconnected and rapidly changing world. The updated 2019 OECD Skills Strategy takes account of the lessons learned from applying the original skills strategy in 11 countries since 2012...

Australia’s overall performance in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) ranges from average to very good. However, three million adults, representing one-fifth of the working age population, have low literacy and/or numeracy skills.