Referring to issues raised by recent reforms and future expansion of apprenticeship, this report reveals the consequences serious skills shortages have on the economy as a whole. It calls for radical improvements to the provision of apprenticeship training in Britain in order to close the skills...

This Annex contains the technical work which underpins Into the 21st Century. It describes in detail the assessment procedures and qualifications offered in France, Germany, Singapore and USA compared to the UK.

Forward by Sir Roy Gardner (Chairman, Compass Group plc; Chairman, Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network) August 2010: I am pleased to commend this report, commissioned by the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network, of which I am Chairman. The Network is a group of senior business leaders committed to...

The paper presents evidence of serious skill shortages in the information technology (IT) sector and in IT-related occupations in France, Germany, Singapore the UK and the US. The extent to which higher education (HE) has responded to the increased demand for skills by providing an increasing...

In all OECD countries secretarial occupations constitute a substantial part of all women's employment, are heavily female-dominated and subject to rapid and far-reaching technical change. They are also transversal to all sectors and organisations. The report examines how the secretary's role is...

This paper aims to find a suitable definition of a low skilled worker, that can be applied in a consistent way across the various countries of the European Union. The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) is identified as the most suitable means of measuring skills over time...

"The aim of this study is to analyse and assess the contrasting national skills policies associated with ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) skill supply in Britain and Germany. We also aim to examine the impact of these strategies on firms and to assess the utilization of skills at...