A YouGov poll for the Times newspaper has revealed that 70 per cent of parents believe that schools are not preparing children adequately for the workplace. At the same time a survey of 1,200 businesses by the professional services firm PwC found that business leaders believe that improving the education system, and giving people the skills they need for work is the most critical lever for boosting economic growth.
The Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP) fully endorses both surveys and further believes that an understanding of professional, business to business (B2B) sales, together with an introduction to fundamental sales skills, should be an essential element of any business skills provision in both secondary and tertiary education.
‘B2B Sales contributes about £1.7 trillion to the UK economy every year – that’s 40% of GDP’ said ISP MD, Patrick Joiner, ‘and yet students can complete GCSE, A Level and even degree qualifications in business studies without learning anything about sales.
‘Sales is the fundamental activity of any commercial organisation, as it is the only business function that exists purely to generate the income that is the life blood, not just of companies but of the whole economy.’
The ISP is shortly to publish a new Sales Capability Framework which identifies the skills and knowledge required of salespeople from the most junior to the most experienced sales leader. This coincides with the re-launch of its qualifications as a series of unit-sized awards, which combine to make professional qualifications in selling more accessible to everyone, whether they are studying at school and university or looking to develop enhanced sales capability in the workplace.