IT industry 'driving training growth'

13:30 2nd December 2009

New figures from the government have revealed a continued rise in the number of people in full-time education or training.

According to official data, there are now 14.5 million people in full-time education or training of some sort, meaning that for every two workers there is more than one person in education, the BBC reports.

Ian Brinkley, associate director of the Work Foundation thinktank, told the news provider that one reason for the growth has been the increased demand for IT and technical skills in industry.

"There has been a vast increase in jobs using technology, which depends on having an educated workforce," he explained.

The government has invested large sums in the past year to get more young people into full-time education or training, as well as encouraging older people who have been made redundant to consider a career change and to get some training in order to find new work.

Young people have been particularly hard hit by the recession, with figures from the Office for National Statistics revealing people leaving full-time education this year have found it most difficult to get work.

Writing by Derek Oldman

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