GREEN EYED NATION:

SKILLS ARE ENVIED MORE THAN BEAUTY

Forget beauty or money –the real thing we envy in others is their skills, according to a new ICM poll, commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) (Monday 9 July.) More than a third of people in the poll confessed to envying the skills and abilities of others, whereas only 4% felt jealous of other people’s beauty.

The survey marks the launch of a new campaign - ‘Our future. It’s in our hands’ - from Government to inspire people and business to improve their skill levels and ultimately support the target set by Lord Leitch in his review of skills for the UK to become a world leader in all levels of skills by 2020.

“Skills are fundamental to our future as individuals and a nation,”explains the new Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham. “This survey reveals a hidden desire that people want to improve their abilities. Given that millions people currently lack skills like basic maths and reading, we have to remind people about their ability to learn. The launch of today’s advertisingcampaign, is a major step towards achieving the Leitch ambition.”

Professor Raj Persaud, Consultant Psychiatrist at The Maudsley Hospital, supports the theory that envy can be a positive emotion. “If you are working with a colleague who seems more skilled than you, or you are playing sport against someone who seems more able, then feelings of frustration and envy are natural,” he explains.

He continues: “This arises out of a process some psychologists refer to as social comparison. 'Upwardly directed' social comparison is where you compare yourself with those better than you. This can lead to feeling low about your own position in life - but only if you view your situation as not changeable by yourself. Our attitude to skills and the acquisition of them is vital - if you are inspired to raise your game by comparison with role models, then improving your own skills is a psychologically healthy response to this predicament.”

Many of those polled in the survey had strong ambitions for the future. Almost two in ten wanted to be an entrepreneur like Peter Jones, from Dragon’s Den. While only 1% wanted to be a reality TV star such as Jade Goody and just 2% wanted to follow in Kate Moss’s size 0 footsteps to become a model. The skilled professions including nursing scored well, with 14% of people aspiring to become a nurse or doctor and 10% to be a teacher.

“It is great to see that people recognise the tremendous skill involved in everyday vocations such as teaching and nursing,”says Chris Banks, Chairman, from the Learning Skills Council. “People are realising that fame is not all it is cracked up to be. This survey shows we value real skills and entrepreneurship over instant celebrity.”

Further questioning revealed that many people see skills as playing an integral part in feeling in control of their lives:

o 90% of respondents believe they have the ability to control their future using current skills or by learning new ones;

o 47% people felt that access to training to improve their skills would help them feel more in control of their lives, as opposed to changing their partner (9%) and moving house (24%.)

“The feeling of being in control has a lot to do with self confidence,”explains Dr.Raj Persaud. “Investing time and effort in new skills is a great way to build self confidence, so it’s very interesting to see that people are making this association and recognise that skills will help them reclaim control”.

Ends

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