Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills are used every day by all people for a range of reasons – personal, social and work. The skills required differ according to the reasons for using them.

Every learner who engages in vocational training will be taking on LLN challenges or, at the very least, will be using existing skills in different ways. Workers use literacy and numeracy skills all the time to do their jobs.

But did you know that more than 7 million Australian adults don’t have the reading skills considered necessary for everyday life? This indicates that many people have skills that would cause them to struggle with training or doing their jobs properly.

The 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey assessed Australians aged 15 to 74 years on a number of skills across a 5 level scale, with level 3 being deemed as the level required to deal successfully with everyday life and work. The skills tested were

• prose literacy (e.g. ability to read newspapers),
• document literacy (e.g. ability to use bus schedules)
• numeracy and problem solving skills,
• the ability to understand health related information (e.g. first aid advice).

Approximately 17 per cent (2.5 million) of people were assessed at the lowest prose literacy level (down from 20 per cent in 1996), while 18 per cent (2.7 million) were assessed at the lowest document literacy level (down from 20 per cent in 2006).

46% of the population have prose literacy skills below level 3. In the workplace these people might have difficulty:

• reading and understanding
• communicating via email
• using training material or manuals

47% of the population have document literacy skills below level 3. In the workplace they might have difficulty:

• filling in forms
• reading a transport timetable
• interpreting simple graphs and charts

Nearly 8 million Australians don’t have the numeracy skills considered necessary for everyday life.

53% of the population have numeracy skills below level 3. In the workplace they might have difficulty:

• completing time sheets
• recording accurate measurements
• calculating correct change

More than 10 million Australians have below average problem solving skills.

70% of the population have problem solving skills below level 3. In the workplace they might have difficulty:

• working independently
• following non-routine directions
• finding workable solutions for new challenges

Building an employee's literacy and numeracy skills can be a powerful way to improve productivity and morale. OECD research has revealed that raising a country’s adult literacy by just 1 per cent leads to a rise in productivity of 2.5 per cent and a 1.5 per cent increase in GDP.

You can deal with this important issue within your workplace by applying for WELL funding from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Click here for more information.

View this important new booklet for details Core skills for business in the workplace.