Government plans to introduce a system of academic diplomas could make it harder for SMEs to appoint young people with the skills they need, it has been claimed.
According to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), business leaders in the UK feel that GCSEs and A-levels provide young people with the knowledge and abilities that they need.
However, introducing academic diplomas could undermine these qualifications, the body warns.
Richard Lambert, director-general of the CBI, indicates that while firms see vocational diplomas as useful, there is not appetite for the scheme to be extended to academic subjects.
He said: "Introducing a range of science, humanities or languages diplomas runs the risk of undermining the integrity of these traditional academic subjects.
"And they could also be a distraction from the need to raise the numbers of young people studying science and maths."
Recently, a CBI survey found that 60 per cent of business leaders in London are concerned the city's competitiveness is under threat, with a skills gap being one of the causes cited.
