QLD education reform 'well targeted and timely': Ai Group

"As Ai Group has been saying for some time low levels of language, literacy and numeracy among school leavers and the current workforce is a major barrier to employment and economic growth. In fact, recent Ai Group data highlighted the impact this is having on business with 93 per cent of employers surveyed reporting that low LLN levels are impacting negatively on their businesses.

"In addition to lifting the levels of these core life skills, improving the science and technology capabilities of school students is also crucial in setting them up for employment. Despite 75 per cent of occupations in the future expected to require Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills, current levels are very poor and are inhibiting business ability to employ.

"We congratulate the premier and minister for their initiative on this important issue and look forward working with them on programs that boost the state's skills," Goodsell said.