Demand for qualifications is set to increase over the next five years, according to the result of the CII's Company Education Support 2003 report.
The survey of 141 respondents, representing 141,305 employees, revealed the opinion that standards must rise across the industry, said the CII.
In addition to the vast majority (almost 93%) believing that the demand for qualifications is set to rise, two-thirds (66.9%) feel that more staff would need higher level qualifications, such as the ACII, over the next five years as well, it said.
The vast majority of respondents (89.3%) also said that staff with no qualifications would need to obtain a basic level of qualifications, while almost two-thirds (61.5%) said they believed that demand for ‘just in time' exams will increase, while the need for top-up exams is supported by 86.7%.
The CII said this gave a clear indication that in addition to widespread support for more exams, these need to be focussed on meeting firms' precise needs.
CII marketing director Steve Wellard said: “Our assertion is that the industry culture now supports training and competence (T&C) in a way that only the best organisations have done in the past.
“Of course this does not mean that every firm is as committed to T&C as perhaps they could or should be, but it does indicate that almost all firms now have the rudiments in place.”
Exams, however, were not seen as the only requirement for training and competence, said the CII.
Almost all respondents (96.4%) said they believed that maintaining competence is just as important as passing exams, and 66.9% wanted regular re-testing of knowledge rather than sitting formal exams.
