AT last .... someone has finally admitted what many people have suspected for years: young people simply do not understand the work ethic.

Business leader Margaret Michell, chairman of a new skills task force set up by the British Chambers of Commerce, claimed that they lack the discipline and professionalism necessary to succeed in jobs.

She said that, generally, they do not understand their parents' work ethic.

And she put the blame for this on parents and the education system for failing to prepare youngsters properly.

She acknowledges that many young people should be praised for their work and dedication, but feels that the system is letting them down.

I couldn't agree more.

Surely, it is obvious that children learn from their parents? They are the role models they view on a daily basis, and many parents who deliberately do not work send out the worst possible message to their young.

This is basically that you don't need to put yourself out to get by today.

Forget the tiresome job with its early start, restrictive hours and discipline. It's OK to lounge about at home, watch the telly, see your mates, duck and dive and indulge in whatever takes your fancy.

The state will pay. It's your right.

If they're unlucky, their schools will not automatically prepare them for a working life, either (although I find it hard to blame teachers for this as the odds are stacked against them).

The Government does not place enough emphasis on pupils' learning practical subjects, like keyboard skills. A great majority of jobs involve computers these days and not encouraging keyboard skills is a huge minus.

How to work with others in a team, how to deal with the public, developing interview techniques, coping with the working day. These are all skills that need to be developed and practised, and without them, no education is complete.

Then there are all the other practical jobs on the horizon. We now have a dearth of plumbers and electricians because these have not been considered attractive careers for sixth-formers.

But, the pay is good and there are real prospects involved. What's wrong with that?

Mrs Michell is not just some quango boss with no experience of industry. She is the former communications director of ceramics Waterford Wedgwood so she knows about industry.

She understands what employers want, and she has seen what they get. She knows it's not good enough.

And until we all start acknowledging that we are largely not equipping our children for what they need for a successful working life, then the truth is that we are failing them.