Expanding the provision of pathways and developing greater options for skilled employment and further study after two years of higher education, could equip the UK with more intermediate skills vital for economic growth. These are the messages coming out of joint research published by the Select Committees for Education and for Business, Innovation and Skills, ahead of their joint work on the issue of education, skills and productivity.

The committees believe that closer alignment of the needs of business and the education system is vital to boosting productivity.

The report looks at the main factors by which education and skills affect economic performance. It compares skills and productivity rates in the UK with those in Germany, France and the US, covering the role played by education/training institutions and vocational systems.The research covers a number of areas:

• Cross-country differences in workforce skills
• High-level skills issues 
• STEM graduate supplies
• Graduate employability and underemployment issues
• Intermediate skills development
• Technician-level education and training
• Apprenticeship training and full-time vocational schooling
• Continuing training for adult employees
• Assessment and qualifications.