Report: Basic literacy skills lacking, but IT skills are OK

More than half of employers in England say high school graduates often cannot function in the workplace due to a lack of basic math and literacy skills, a survey sponsored by a business lobbying firm suggests. But the poll of 507 firms also said youngsters’ IT skills can give them the edge over their bosses in this area. The CBI survey found many employers were having to retrain recent grads in the basics they should have learned in class. But CBI director general Richard Lambert said, “Their fluency with iPods, mobiles and MySpace has translated well into the workplace.... The challenge ahead is for schools to channel that same enthusiasm into numeracy and literacy skills, where far too many young people are struggling.” Read more at BBC News.