Published 2007 (ISBN: 1 905370 15 6) Price £9.95
The UK economy is in a strong position, with sustained growth and record levels of employment. Despite this, there is a significant gap between the UK and many comparison countries in terms of productivity and enterprise. Central to efforts to close this gap is the issue of skills: skills are a vital determinant of productivity, enterprise and employment and underpin the ability of business and individuals to take advantage of new opportunities. The Leitch review showed that although the UK’s skills base has improved significantly over the last decade, it remains weak by international standards. Unless the UK can make its skills base one of its strengths, UK workers and businesses will find it increasingly difficult to compete. But what types of skills do our people and businesses need? What are the skills that will make our economy more enterprising and productive? Can enterprise be taught? Enterprise for All argues that because employability and high levels of enterprise will increasingly depend on every individual being entrepreneurial in the workplace – creating new ideas, managing relationships, identifying opportunities, and being creative and adaptable – more needs to be done to ensure that all workers, young and old, are able to develop enterprise skills and capabilities.