Employability skills research and trends

Impact of Barclays LifeSkills

We believe that everyone deserves the financial independence, security and opportunity that comes with a job. A vibrant, skilled workforce ensures that local communities and businesses can thrive.

To find out about the landscape to support people with skills, download our report Unlocking skills and employment opportunities.

Through our annual evaluation of LifeSkills we seek to assess the impact LifeSkills is having on participants to support people as the world of work continues to evolve rapidly.

Our 2024 impact findings include insight from adult educators and teachers in schools and colleges, where they highlight the quality of LifeSkills resources.

Teachers value the flexibility of LifeSkills resources to adapt to the needs of learners, and how easy they are to organise into a learning sequence.

"LifeSkills helps so much with planning and teaching - also has differentiated tasks and bits covered for autism."  PSHE and careers lead, special school, West Midlands

From using the resources, teachers and senior leaders have seen an improvement (95%) in their institution’s ability to develop students’ work readiness. Teacher knowledge and expertise in teaching employability, careers and money management skills improved (91%).

"I think the LifeSkills resources were really structured and I think that's what a lot of our pupils need just now, a very clear structure, almost a formula to follow. So, the resources were brilliant. We'll keep using them, so the kids who have created their CV this year will add anything when we come to this block of work next year, so it's given us a foundation to start from."  Principal teacher of Pupil Care and Support, Scotland 

“As a result of using LifeSkills, student engagement is enhanced.”   Careers and senior leader, secondary school, London

The programme positively impacts the young people it engages, with 98% of students reporting an improvement in knowledge and skills.  These were the areas of greatest impact:

• Understanding of what makes a good CV (89%)
• Awareness of own strengths and skills (87%) 
• Feeling more positive about the future (87%)
• Improved understanding of core transferable skills (86%) 
• Understanding of how to tackle problems (85%)
• Recognising the need for planning for the future and saving money (83%)
• Understanding how to keep track of their money e.g. budgeting (83%)
• Feeling confident about managing money (82%) 

Encouragingly, for 86% of young people who engaged with LifeSkills there was evidence of wide-ranging impact: they improved their knowledge and skills, as well as their confidence and motivation and they also took action to apply what they had learnt, e.g. by creating a CV, volunteering or applying for a job. 

This year, adults looking for work and those who have been out of work e.g. due to their caring commitments or for health reasons, were the two largest groups adult educators worked with to support them in building LifeSkills.

"Contains excellent resources/tools. Content coverage is great and enables a holistic approach of what’s needed for a young person or adult to achieve, grow, develop and succeed.  LifeSkills is my go-to provision."  Careers Advisor, Local Authority, Wales

Click here to find out more about the resources which can support your learners to develop the employability and financial capability skills to support their futures. 

Source: Chrysalis Research Evaluation of LifeSkills 2024