'Personal skills development as important as academic qualifications'

10:21 14th April 2009

Gaining personal and social skills is just as important as pursuing academic qualifications, according to a specialist organisation.

Working Links, a body which specialises in working with the long-term unemployed, said that ensuring individuals have the right social skills could help people pursuing a career change or a new job in a similar company.

New figures from the British Chamber of Commerce reveal that unemployment could reach 3.2 million next year and the government has committed nearly £27 million to fund skills training in the capital.

David Gallagher, head of skills leadership at Working Links, said: "At Working Links we recognise that the development of key personal and social behavioural skills is at the very least of equal importance to achieving accredited qualifications."

He added that the organisation seeks to promote personal development alongside literacy and numeracy training.

A report from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills London, reveals that nearly 22,000 people were on work-related training schemes in 2007/08, compared to just over 6,000 in 2006/07.