Tasks that require numeracy and literacy skills are quite often a necessity in day-to-day working life. As part of an investigation looking into people’s skills in these areas, a survey was commissioned by Oxford Open Learning that presented some alarming results. The survey, conducted by YouGov, aimed to find out colleagues’ opinions of their own and each other’s competency when it comes to the numeracy and literacy skills required for their roles.
The survey demonstrated that 41% of those asked felt a lack of confidence in their own abilities, which they felt had stopped them from progressing in their career. The survey also indicated that a lack of confidence can also affect whether or not people will enrol on a course to improve their skills. As well as this, it gave a clear insight into the confidence levels of men compared to women, revealing that males felt more confident than females in their abilities, while younger workers also felt much less confident compared to older employees.
Getting back into education is a great way to build confidence in numeracy and literacy skills. Has a lack of confidence in your skills ever affected your career progression? You can read the full report here.