Band 9: The charts below show the qualifications of staff in an advertising company in 1990 and 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The pie charts illustrate the proportions of employees with different qualifications in an advertising company in 1990 and 2010.

Overall, it is clear that higher-level qualifications became more common over time, whereas the percentage of employees with lower qualifications declined significantly.

In 1990, the largest proportion of staff held a first degree in science, accounting for a considerable share of the workforce. This was followed by employees with master’s degrees in both science and art, which together made up a substantial percentage. In contrast, only a relatively small proportion of workers possessed PhD qualifications, particularly in art, which was the least common category.

By 2010, there was a noticeable shift in the distribution of qualifications. The proportion of employees with master’s degrees increased markedly, making it one of the dominant groups within the company. Similarly, the percentage of staff holding PhDs rose compared to 1990. On the other hand, the figure for those with only first degrees declined noticeably. Overall, the company appears to have developed a more highly educated workforce over the period.