Productivity growth in the UK remains weak and the job prospects of many adults are "hurt" by poor literacy and numeracy skills, according to a new report.
Paris-based think tank the OECD said lifelong learning should be encouraged among adults and more should be done to promote skills.
Its study found that the share of young adults enrolled in vocational education and training has risen to 43 per cent, but remains lower than many European countries.
Apprenticeships are also less popular in the UK, taken up by around one in four students compared with 59 per cent in Switzerland and 41 per cent in Germany, the research revealed.
A high proportion of jobs remain low-skilled, while the number of positions needing high skills is also low, said the OECD.
Around two out of five British workers are either over qualified or under qualified for their job, while a similar number are in a sector different to the one they studied at school.
The OECD recommended that careers services should be strengthened, including more interactions between employers and schools, while there should be increased awareness about the value of training.
The report said: "Strong recovery in the United Kingdom has led to record-high employment rates and an unemployment rate that is expected to remain low for the next couple of years.
"However, labour productivity growth - which is closely related to the use of skills - remains low. Many workers are trained in a field of study that is not associated with their occupation.
"While the strong recovery in the United Kingdom has not yet significantly raised the share of employers reporting skill shortages, the share of vacancies that are considered skill-shortage vacancies has risen."
PA
