英企业质疑毕业生文凭 称求职者素质差

Millions of school leavers and graduates with 'fairly useless' degrees are unemployable because they lack basic skills, a major business lobby group will warn today.

The devastating report, from the British Chambers of Commerce, reveals small businesses are frustrated at the quality of applicants, who they say can barely concentrate or add up.

Nearly half of the 2,000 firms surveyed said they would be 'fairly or very nervous' about hiring someone who has just finished their A-levels.

The report warns: 'Too many people [are] coming out with fairly useless degrees in non-serious subjects.'

Its findings raise serious questions about the type and standard of education and skills training in Britain.

The group questioned the owners of 'micro-businesses', those with fewer than ten employees. Many have vacancies which they are desperate to fill but were scathing about the quality of candidates.

The report states: 'In general, younger people lack numerical skills, research skills, ability to focus and read, plus written English.'

One unnamed entrepreneur told researchers: 'Plenty of unemployed, mostly without experience in my sector. The interpersonal skills of some interviewed in the past have been very poor.'

Dr Adam Marshall, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said the fault lies with the education system, not with the young people themselves.

He said new courses spring up because there is demand from would-be students – but not necessarily from businesses.

Dr Marshall said: 'There may be a course in underwater basket weaving, but that does not mean anybody will actually want to employ you at the end of it.'

He cited the American television crime drama CSI as a prime example. It sparked a huge growth in the popularity of forensic science courses, but Dr Marshall said demand for these graduates is low.

Dr Marshall said he is desperate for the country to listen to business and create the right courses to fit the jobs that are available.一家大型商业游说团体今天警告说，上百万中学或大学毕业生空有一张“无用”文凭，却无法被雇佣，因为他们缺乏基本技能。

这份来自英国商务部的报告辛辣地指出，小企业主们对求职者的职业素质颇感失望，认为他们集中不了精力，连简单的运算都不会。

在参与这次调查的2000家公司中，约有一半称如果要雇佣那些刚参加完中学高级水平考试的学生的话，他们得“绷紧神经”。

报告警告说：“现在太多人只有一纸无用的文凭，而且学的专业也没什么意义。”

调查结果就英国教育的类型和标准以及技能训练提出了严肃的问题。

调查小组向那些员工少于10名的“超小型公司”的老板们询问后发现，很多公司都急需新人来填补职位空缺，但他们对于求职者素质的评价却很严厉。

报告称：“总体来说，这些年轻人缺乏运算能力、研究能力、阅读能力，无法集中注意力，英文写作能力也欠佳。”

一位没有透露姓名的企业主告诉研究者说：“来应聘的人很多，但大部分都没有我这个领域的工作经验。我面试过的人里面，有些人的人际交往能力相当薄弱。”

英国商务部政策主任亚当•马歇尔博士说错在教育体系，不在年轻人本身。

他说新课程层出不穷，但并不总是来自市场需求，而是来自日益扩张的生源需求。

马歇尔博士说：“也许开了一门叫水下篮子编织的课程，但并不意味着学完之后有人会真的想雇佣你。”

他把美国犯罪电视剧《犯罪现场调查》作为一个很好的例子。那部电视剧使得法庭科学课一时间大受欢迎，但马歇尔博士说市场上这方面对毕业生的需求其实很低。

马歇尔博士说他急切盼望着主事者们听听企业的意见，设计出符合就业市场需求的课程。