We welcome a new report out by the CBI, which has revealed that employers are concerned with the standard of English used by school and college leavers.

The CBI /EDI survey of 566 employers shows 42% are not satisfied with the basic use of English, while more than a third (35%) are concerned with the basic numeracy skills in this age group. To address the weaknesses in basic skills, almost half (44%) of employers have had to invest in remedial training for school and college leavers.

John Cridland, CBI Director-General, said: “It’s alarming that a significant number of employers have concerns about the basic skills of school and college leavers. Companies do not expect them to produce ‘job-ready’ young people, but having a solid foundation in basic skills, such as literacy and numeracy, is fundamental for work.

“These findings are echoed in the OECD PISA survey which shows that between 2000 and 2009 secondary school pupils in the UK fell in international rankings for reading, maths and science.”

It’s a worrying, if not surprising, statistic and evidence of the fact that the standards of education among school and college leavers truly have fallen. That their English is getting worse is not an urban myth.

And while it’s pleasing that 44% of employers have taken action and invested in some remedial training, it’s of concern that the remaining 56% have, presumably, shrugged it off.

The use of good English is as important now as it ever was, if not more so. In this busy marketplace, it’s not enough just to shout loudly. Businesses have to be clever and to mark themselves as a cut above their competition. One way to do this is through the use of good English in all their literature, be that emails, sales material, newsletters, or website copy.

There are people out there who are put off from buying if a website uses poor English. They may be offended by the bad grammar and spelling; they may simply not be able to understand or ‘get’ the message because the text isn’t clear.

Using good text, being clear and concise, and giving a strong call to action will go a long way in winning over potential customers.

If you’re concerned about your business copy – in particular your website – or would like some advice on use of good English please get in touch.