Employers have today criticised the basic skills levels of school and college leavers.

More than 40 per cent of bosses are unhappy with the ability of youngsters to use basic English, while more than a third are concerned with the basic numeracy skills, according to the CBI / EDI. The CBI, which surveyed more than 500 firms, said around 44 per cent of employers had addressed the weaknesses by running remedial training for school and college leavers.

Employers have also slammed schools and colleges for providing inadequate career advice, leaving young people unable to make informed choices about their future.

Only six per cent of businesses are confident that the advice is good enough, while 64 per cent think advice must improve.

The survey revealed an appetite among employers to play a greater role in delivering careers advice, with 54 per cent willing to do more, rising to 66 per cent of large firms.

Companies also found school and college leavers lacking in important employability skills, with 69 per cent saying they have inadequate business and customer awareness, and 55 per cent experiencing weaknesses in school leavers’ self-management skills.

Two thirds of companies want to see these made a top priority at school and college.

Andrew Palmer CBI Yorkshire director, said: “It’s alarming that a significant number of employers have concerns about the basic skills of school and college leavers.

“Companies do not expect them to produce ‘job-ready’ young people, but having a solid foundation in basic skills, such as literacy and numeracy, is fundamental for work.

“These findings are echoed in the OECD PISA survey which shows that between 2000 and 2009 secondary school pupils in the UK fell in international rankings for reading, maths and science.

“Students need better careers advice early on, so they can make informed decisions about what subjects they choose.

“Employability skills are crucial to making the smooth transition from education to the workplace, but companies are finding school leavers lack many of these competencies.”