Residents of a quiet Yorkshire street got a surprise recently when TV presenter and former lingerie model Carol Smillie and a posse of Learning and Skills Council (LSC) experts banged on their doors to ask them about their skills and ones they’d like to acquire.
The visit to Moorview Way, Skipton, signalled the start of Skills Street, an LSC campaign that aims to raise public awareness of the importance of acquiring and updating skills. The LSC experts in the party told residents how they could get the skills and training that they wanted.
“I am delighted to be working on this project,” said Smillie. “As the world is changing we all need skills, more than ever before. People are often worried by the time it takes to learn a new skill, but a small investment can lead to great reward.”
LSC partnership director Caroline O’Neill, who was part of the street party, said: “Two out of three jobs in the future will require a higher level of skills and better qualifications. Indeed, in less than 10 years there will be very few unskilled jobs. Skills Street aims to kick start the process and encourage people to fulfil their potential.”
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The campaign follows LSC research into why adults didn’t learn new skills, which found that 39% of adults blamed a lack of time and 29% blamed a lack of money, while 13% said they were too old learn a new skills.
The LSC has also put information online where visitors can complete a career assessment profile and get information on suitable courses and funding, such as the Adult Learning Grant.
