Fostering 21st Century Skills in GCC students will lead to improved economic outcomes
Doha, Qatar, 15th April, 2013: Preparing students to contribute effectively in the workplace should be a central aim of educators in the GCC region, says a leading speaker at Doha's Global Innovators' Conference, held from the 4th - 7th April at Qatar's National Convention Centre.
Mr Frank Edwards, Director of Workforce Development at Pearson, the world's largest education company, used the Conference to present research undertaken by Pearson into the skills and attributes developed by current education systems, and those that are required by employers. The study, entitled Effective Education for Employment, involved over 2,000 stakeholders across 25 countries, and found there was a persistent gap around the globe, between the skills held by school and university leavers, and those required by employers.
This "skills gap" is causing problems for both developed and developing countries, says Mr Edwards, who cited poor workplace productivity and decreasing standards of living as just some of the detrimental effects arising from this weakness seen in education systems around the world. In GCC countries, this problem is particularly acute. Youth unemployment and underemployment levels in the Gulf are some of the highest in the world, and employers consistently complain about the difficulty in finding employees who possess necessary work place skills and behaviours.
Mr Edwards said: "There is strong empirical evidence to support the fact that many learners, employees and graduates are not sufficiently developing their broader skills and attitudes to ensure employability and to maximise economic returns for the individual, employer or country. The time is right to address these issues and develop new content and assessment approaches to ensure the barriers to competitive potential are clearly identified, understood and addressed".
Mr Edwards says more attention needs to be paid to instilling learners at all levels of the education system with the skills demanded by modern workplaces, such as 21st Century Skills, which include initiative and self-direction; leadership; negotiation; planning and organisation; problem solving and resourcefulness and adaptability. And these skills need to be taught from the beginning of a child's education. He says:
"While great gains are being made in improving education systems, if we are truly to address this pressing skills gap issue, we need to start embedding 21st Century skills into curricula from the earliest levels of schooling, when children enter the education system, typically at age five".
More focus also needs to be paid to technical and vocational education and training (TVET), which has been traditionally unpopular in the Gulf region. There is a huge demand from industry for graduates who have a technical or vocational qualification, yet students are still shying away from undertaking this kind of course, in favour of more traditional, or formal educational programmes.
This year's Global Innovators' Conference, organised by Doha's College of the North Atlantic, emphasised the importance of technical and vocational education in overcoming the skills shortages being experienced in the region. The Conference brought together leading international thinkers to discuss strategies, methodologies and tools that can be used in the classroom to engage learners, and transform their technical or vocational learning experience.
Pearson has been at the forefront of technical and vocational education, developing a collection of programmes and qualifications that help address the skills shortages of the GCC. These include the internationally recognised and accredited BTEC qualifications, which cover hundreds of industry areas and which can lead to university entry. Pearson also offers a suite of Work Skills specialist qualifications at Award, Certificate and Diploma level, which cover the "ABC" of employment skills - attitude, behaviour and employability. Pearson also recently launched a 21st Century Skills course for teachers, which builds on teachers' ability to integrate 21st Century Skills into their classrooms through new teaching tools and strategies.
Mr Edwards says the importance of such programmes cannot be overstated, given the serious social and economic consequences that will arise if action to address the skills crisis is not addressed:
"How well the employment and training needs of industries and governments are being met by education and training providers is a critical issue for decision makers not only in the GCC, but right around the world. This problem is more acute now than ever before as governments are contending with the difficulties arising from the current economic downturn. Yet the outcomes of not getting the balance right are significant. If employers do not get the skilled workforce they need, if individuals do not get the training they need, then economic competitiveness and social cohesiveness will suffer".
About Pearson:
At Pearson, we take learning personally. Our courses and resources are available in print, online and through multi-lingual packages, helping people learn whatever, wherever and however they choose. Our education imprints combine 150 years of experience and include online support for every learner. We provide education and assessment services in over 75 countries, helping change the lives of millions of people every year. Our innovative and dynamic digital learning products and services are changing the learning landscape all around the globe and our qualifications are positively transforming the futures of learners of all ages and backgrounds. To find out more, visit www.pearson.com
© Press Release 2013
