RosyRat Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I remember one industrialist saying on television that his company advertised for graduates and he said they were virtually illiterate at the interviews. Did he really? I wouldn't have thought they'd be doing a lot of reading and writing at interviews. I wonder if you mean inarticulate? Perhaps you could refresh your memory or provide a link, Otherwise we can't really believe a word of what you're saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrod Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I'de agree sligtly. All children should have the basic grounding in the three 'R's' and educationalists should be spotting early on the talents that children have. But some of the nasties, dirtiest jobs, are the most important. Just try living without your bins being emptied for a few months. Then you'l think the jobs crutial to a modern society. Someone might not be accademically bright, but be a natural at craft skills such as practical civil engineering. Some companies like Kier have young apprentices of 15 years old, that really take to skilled trades who perhaps arn't the best academics. Absolutely - but while there used to be a natural path for youngsters with a bias for hand skills to move over to an apprenticeship in a practical trade, what we have now is the 'right for higher education for all' which makes a joke of the whole education system. Each level (GCSE, A, 1st degree, masters etc) was a filter, and a ceiling for people with different levels of academic aptitude. Making an A level, or degree, obtainable for all just cheapens the qua ification. Some people aren't suited to academic study but do very well with trade skills - often valuable and marketable skills. It was a socialist folly opening the academic channels to all, which has left us with an education system in shambles and a profound shortage of qualified tradesmen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 It was a socialist folly opening the academic channels to all, which has left us with an education system in shambles and a profound shortage of qualified tradesmen. It was the tories who converted polytechnics to universitys in 1990/91 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Glypta Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 It was the tories who converted polytechnics to universitys in 1990/91 Don't you think Sheffield Hallam University is a step forward from Sheffield Polytechnic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrod Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 It was the tories who converted polytechnics to universitys in 1990/91Which has nothing to do with the point I made. Shame you can't see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Glypta Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Did he really? I wouldn't have thought they'd be doing a lot of reading and writing at interviews. I wonder if you mean inarticulate? Perhaps you could refresh your memory or provide a link, Otherwise we can't really believe a word of what you're saying. Perhaps you would like to read this whilst you are waiting for that link. http://unwin.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/illiterate-uk-graduates-find-it-hard-to-get-a-job/ I was interested to read a report by Jack Grimston in the Sunday Times on 1st August under the headline “Top firms forced to reject ‘barely literate’ graduates”. What amused me is that anyone should find this surprising! For years, schools have paid insufficient attention to the teaching of good English, and most university academics simply do not have the time to correct the spelling, punctuation and grammar of essays written by students. The report commented that: “Waitrose and other blue-chip employers are struggling to fill graduate trainee schemes, despite receiving thousands of applications, because candidates fail to fill in forms properly and sometimes seem barely literate” “Will Corder, UK recruitment adviser at Kimberly-Clark, the manufacturer of brands such as Kleenex and Andrex, said his company had been able to recruit only eight graduate trainees, fewer than in previous years. One candidate, asked how he or she had developed leadership skills, replied: “At church Im [sic] in charge of some organisation.” Corder said: “Surprisingly, it is particularly bad among those doing master’s degrees — bad grammar, bad spelling and they do tend to be very, very verbose and say very little” A shortage of qualified university and school leavers is holding back the economic recovery, according to early findings by the Institute of Directors in a poll of members.“A surprising number have vacancies they are unable to fill,” said Mike Harris, the institute’s head of skills, who will present his findings to Vince Cable’s business department. “They cite lack of skills and bad attitude. They are flagging up clearly that it is a real struggle to find workers and this is holding back recovery.” “Recruiters complain of applicants unable to spell company names, answer simple questions or provide information instead of vacuous buzzwords” This is a damning indictment of the British higher education system. Whilst I would be one of the last to say that a university education should purely be about providing skilled employees for top firms, it is critically important that academics listen to what employers say. The message is clear: universities are turning out graduates who often seem barely literate, and more worryingly still who have a poor attitude to the workplace. Surprise, surprise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Which has nothing to do with the point I made. Shame you can't see that. Maybe you should be clear in what you mean then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S10mainly Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Maybe you should be clear in what you mean then. Maybe you should learn to read as well as your fellow O level failiures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Perhaps you would like to read this whilst you are waiting for that link. http://unwin.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/illiterate-uk-graduates-find-it-hard-to-get-a-job/ I was interested to read a report by Jack Grimston in the Sunday Times on 1st August under the headline “Top firms forced to reject ‘barely literate’ graduates”. What amused me is that anyone should find this surprising! For years, schools have paid insufficient attention to the teaching of good English, and most university academics simply do not have the time to correct the spelling, punctuation and grammar of essays written by students. The report commented that: “Waitrose and other blue-chip employers are struggling to fill graduate trainee schemes, despite receiving thousands of applications, because candidates fail to fill in forms properly and sometimes seem barely literate” “Will Corder, UK recruitment adviser at Kimberly-Clark, the manufacturer of brands such as Kleenex and Andrex, said his company had been able to recruit only eight graduate trainees, fewer than in previous years. One candidate, asked how he or she had developed leadership skills, replied: “At church Im [sic] in charge of some organisation.” Corder said: “Surprisingly, it is particularly bad among those doing master’s degrees — bad grammar, bad spelling and they do tend to be very, very verbose and say very little” A shortage of qualified university and school leavers is holding back the economic recovery, according to early findings by the Institute of Directors in a poll of members.“A surprising number have vacancies they are unable to fill,” said Mike Harris, the institute’s head of skills, who will present his findings to Vince Cable’s business department. “They cite lack of skills and bad attitude. They are flagging up clearly that it is a real struggle to find workers and this is holding back recovery.” “Recruiters complain of applicants unable to spell company names, answer simple questions or provide information instead of vacuous buzzwords” This is a damning indictment of the British higher education system. Whilst I would be one of the last to say that a university education should purely be about providing skilled employees for top firms, it is critically important that academics listen to what employers say. The message is clear: universities are turning out graduates who often seem barely literate, and more worryingly still who have a poor attitude to the workplace. Surprise, surprise! If they are not literate its the schools fault, not universities. They are supposed to be literate by the time they get to university - its not academics jobs to teach them to read and write (and anyway they don't have time to do that). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sibon Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 If they are not literate its the schools fault, not universities. They are supposed to be literate by the time they get to university - its not academics jobs to teach them to read and write (and anyway they don't have time to do that). If they are not literate, you would have to ask how they got a place at University in the first place. Not that I believe that there are very many instances of illiterate undergraduates. I've spent most of my day working with GCSE students. All of them articulate, literate, intelligent people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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