Skills

Higher skill levels allow workers to generate new ideas and adapt to the changing economic environment. Without access to a skilled workforce, firms are unable to implement new technology or affect organisational change. As a result, low levels of human capital act as a break on economic performance. Human capital can be developed through the education system, and also through training during an individual’s working life. This section considers:

• Skill levels – basic, intermediate and higher skills affect an economy’s ability to drive up productivity
  
  
• Training – a commitment to lifelong learning helps ensure that skills are maintained and refreshed
  
  
• ICT Skills – knowledge of ICT is increasingly regarded as a basic skill in today’s knowledge economy