Poor literacy and numeracy skills are costing the construction industry up to £1 billion every year because of basic mistakes.
A study by Lancaster University's workplace basic skills network claims that as many as 90% of students on vocational construction courses have a poor grasp of maths and English.

The report reveals that shoddy work and expensive delays arise because workers misunderstand instructions, fail to communicate clearly and take inaccurate measurements.

Teachers of vocational courses found at least 20% of students had poor maths and English, rising to 90% in the worst case, the study reports.

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor