Soft skills are as valuable as good grades, according to Prince’s Trust research

* Prince’s Trust survey of young people, teachers and workers
reveals attitudes to soft skills in Wales

* 47% of young people in Wales don’t feel prepared to enter the
work force, with many worried that they lack confidence and soft
skills

* 69% of workers in Wales don’t think they had all the soft skills
they needed to do well when they first entered the workplace

The Prince’s Trust ‘Results for Life’ report, released today
(30th August), reveals that soft skills such as teamwork,
communication and confidence are considered by young people and
workers in Wales to be as important to achieving success in life as
good grades[1] [1].

The research, sponsored by HSBC, is a national survey which gauges
how much value is placed on soft skills and whether respondents feel
they have enough support to learn these skills both at school and in
the workplace[2] [2]. It shows that while young people and people in
the workforce from across Wales agree on the importance of soft
skills, there are concerns across the board about whether local young
people get enough support to develop them.

While young people in Wales consider maths and literacy to be the
most important skills to learn at school, soft skills including
confidence and communication are next in line – ahead of subjects
like IT and languages[3] [3]. When asked why they think these skills
are so important, 67% of young people in Wales said that having them
will help them to get a job.

Worryingly, almost half (47%) of young people in Wales don’t feel
prepared to enter the workforce[4] [4], with 43% of young people who
feel this way nationally believing their soft skills are not good
enough; and 46% saying their confidence is too low. Almost half (48%)
of young people in Wales feel their school does not fully support them
to develop in these areas.

When comparing these findings with the views of workers and teachers,
it appears the concerns young people in Wales raise are not unfounded.
More than a quarter of teachers nationally (27%) think that most of
the students they teach don’t yet have all the soft skills required
to do well after school, and 91% think schools should be doing more to
help students to develop these skills.

Similarly, three of the top five things workers in Wales think young
people most lack typically when entering the workforce are soft skills
including confidence, communication and the ability to work in a
team[5] [5], above things like maths and literacy. 69% of workers felt
they themselves didn’t have all the soft skills to do well when they
first started working, while 58% felt a lack of skills meant they
struggled to find a job when they were starting out.

PHILIP JONES, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE PRINCE’S TRUST IN WALES
SAID: “While young people are painfully aware of the importance of
getting good grades and under incredible pressure to achieve them,
this report shows that the life and character skills considered key to
success in their working lives are at risk of being overlooked.

“Students, teachers and workers across Wales agree that more needs
to be done to ensure young people leave education equipped for life
and able to reach their full potential in the workplace. By working
together to support them to achieve this, we can ensure the next
generation of employees hit the ground running and make a formidable
addition to the work force.”

ANTONIO SIMOES, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF HSBC BANK SAID: “Having
supported The Prince’s Trust for over five years, we know the
difference the right support can make to young people in education who
are in need of an opportunity to hone practical skills like team
working and communication. We also know the benefits these skills can
have in the workplace later on, both for employees and employers, and
are committed to investing in programmes that help young people to put
these skills into practice.”

The Prince’s Trust has long recognised the importance of helping
young people to build their confidence and skill sets, as well as the
value of providing support early on in their development. To this end,
the charity is committed to helping thousands of young people across
the UK each year to develop the soft skills they need to thrive both
in education and in the workplace.

The charity’s Achieve [6] programme, of which HSBC is the largest
corporate supporter, helps young people who are at risk of
underachieving at school or college to succeed in education. The
programme complements existing learning in the formal education
setting, supporting 11 to 19-year-olds to develop soft skills, engage
with education and unlock their potential.

This year, The Prince’s Trust will support 60,000 disadvantaged
young people to get their lives on track. Three in four young people
supported by The Prince’s Trust move into work, education or
training.