GCSEs may feel like a lifetime ago, but keeping your results on your CV may help with job success, according to a new poll of senior decision makers that shows GCSEs are the most valuable qualifications for employees to have. The YouGov survey of 500 business leaders, commissioned to support a new quiz based on modern GCSEs from Oxford Open Learning Trust, looked into the skills and qualifications that employers consider to be desirable when searching for new staff to join their business.
Distance learning provider Oxford Open Learning Trust created the Would You Pass? quiz to put adults to the test and find out which questions from modern exams - like Citizenship and Health and Social Care - they would be able to answer correctly.
Each year, the Trust serves learners that might need an extra qualification, such as a GCSE or A Level, in order to get their desired job and start a new career. Out of the qualifications included within the survey, Maths and English GCSEs and A Levels were seen to be more useful than the Science equivalents and other qualifications.
Top 5 qualifications overall senior decision-makers see as valuable for employees to have
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GCSE Maths (51%)
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GCSE English (51%)
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A Level Maths (35%)
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A Level English (35%)
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GCSE Science (23%)
Those who are considering an apprenticeship may be surprised to see that less than one in five (19%) decision makers in businesses in Britain find an apprenticeship desirable when looking for potential employees to join their teams.
Top five skills overall business leaders see as valuable for employees to have
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People skills (71%)
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Team working skills (70%)
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Strong, effective communication (68%)
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Good computer skills (66%)
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Basic maths skills (65%)
Networking skills came in last place on the priority list for business leaders and was deemed the least important skill. This skill is least relevant for the hospitality and leisure industry, with just a quarter (25%) choosing it as a valuable skill for their employees to have.
Skills that business leaders desire change depending on the size of the business. Larger businesses consider good written skills (71%) and effective problem solving (67%) as the most valuable skills for employees to have, whereas medium businesses focus on strong and effective communication (83%) and smaller business managers and owners see more value in people skills (69%).
Dr Nick Smith, Courses Director and founder of Oxford Open Learning Trust, said: “It’s interesting to see which skills and qualifications business leaders see as the most valuable for potential employees joining their business to have.
“Hopefully it’s given some insight on what to highlight on your CV and application form and what potential employers are looking out for.
“It’s important to consider the size of the company and the industry so you can tailor your CV to their needs. I think interpersonal qualities rate more highly than general business skills as these are things that can’t be taught and should definitely be mentioned when applying for jobs.
“It’s never too late to learn new skills or take a GCSE, and our Would You Pass? quiz gives adults an idea of what some of the new modern GCSE exam questions are like.”
