Blog posts for tag:employment

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Can we improve careers advice?

By , Wednesday 20 April 2016

Careers advice has once again been a hot topic in the news, as many in and outside of the sector have emphasised its importance, and some have criticised the current resources available to school learners and leavers. Gatsby has carried out a survey on the current state of careers advice in the UK and made recommendations to improve the guidance young people receive going forward. In the foreword of the report, Lord Sainsbury argues that, while many reports in the past have been critical of the careers advice available to learners, the situation hasn’t improved. He cites persistent youth unemployment and the widening skills gap facing UK employers as evidence of this.



The changing perceptions of Apprenticeships

By , Wednesday 23 March 2016

We’ve recently celebrated National Apprenticeship Week and saw the Annual Apprenticeship Conference 2016 take place. Apprenticeships are still at the forefront of the education sector, but are perceptions of the programmes improving outside of the sector? Apprenticeships have long been perceived as a secondary route for young people to take in their education, particularly in comparison to A Levels or university. One of the key Ofsted Annual Report 2014-15 findings was that some schools and colleges weren’t promoting Apprenticeships equally, with many still pushing university as the default route. We’ve also seen anecdotal evidence to suggest that parents have been inclined to think the same way, and it’s often down to a lack of information on Apprenticeships.



Soft skills mean business

By , Wednesday 23 March 2016

The need to focus on basic, work-ready skills has been in the spotlight again, with some in the Further Education sector arguing that the government should be focusing its efforts on improving basic skills rather than its heavy emphasis on Apprenticeships. As recently reported in FE Week, “the BIS Select Committee’s report on the Government’s productivity plan raised concerns about the lack of focus on a variety of policy areas, including Apprenticeships, but what has escaped most attention was the call to address the poor level of basic skills in the workforce”. 



Will Apprenticeships measures put Public Sector employment at risk?

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Tuesday 16 February 2016

This month saw the publication of the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ (IFS) Green Budget. The report looks at the issues and challenges facing the Chancellor as he prepares for his Budget in March. The study has highlighted the risks threatening the government’s spending plans, including how key aspects of the Apprenticeship reform programme, intended to create growth and increase productivity, may actually challenge it.



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