Is there a skills crisis? Do schools and colleges contribute to it?

Despite performance levels in education being higher than ever, some continue to bang on about skills shortages and about young people not being ‘ready for work’. According to the British Chamber of Commerce for example, two-thirds of businesses believe that secondary schools are not effective in preparing young people for employment and could do … Continue reading Is there a skills crisis? Do schools and colleges contribute to it? →

Capital’s new ‘reserve army’?

Though UK unemployment continues to fall, more significant has been the much greater increase in the size of the workforce. For example, the most recent monthly Office for National Statistics data shows a fall in unemployment of just over 200 000 over the year, but a 400 000 plus rise in those working. ONS data … Continue reading Capital’s new ‘reserve army’? →

Low-level apprenticeships reflect Britain’s ‘coffee shop’ economy

Blog Post for Reclaiming Schools *network Ofsted’s hard hitting report on the quality of apprenticeship provision, confirms what is … Continue reading Low-level apprenticeships reflect Britain’s ‘coffee shop’ economy →

Now Apprenticeships failed by Ofsted

Skills Minister Nick Boles might be correct to claim that more people than ever are now currently on apprenticeships, but the government’s own data published last week shows it will struggle to create the 3 million (high quality) new apprenticeships promised by the end of the Parliament. It’s true that the last academic year … Continue reading Now Apprenticeships failed by Ofsted →

Labour and the Fiscal Charter ( ‘Living within our means’ Part 2)

Predictably, in the run up to the Parliamentary vote on the Fiscal Charter, media attention focused on the fall-out from John McDonnell’s sudden ‘U-turn’ and the way Labour MPs opposed to the Corbyn leadership sought to exploit the situation. Much of the confusion has arisen from the Shadow Chancellor’s attempt to ‘out Osborne, Osborne’ (his own words) arguing … Continue reading Labour and the Fiscal Charter ( ‘Living within our means’ Part 2) →

New e-book Hard Labour: young people moving into work in difficult times

Though youth unemployment has continued to fall, at 16% it remains three times the adult rate – but many more young people still can’t get the jobs that they want. Young people have been encouraged to continue to higher education, yet qualifications buy less and less and thousands remain ‘underemployed’. This study provides both an … Continue reading New e-book Hard Labour: young people moving into work in difficult times →

‘Living within our means’

‘Living within our means’ has become a cliché of late. George Osborne continues to espouse it as justification for austerity policies, but Labour’s new shadow Chancellor John McDonnell’s apparent endorsement of George Osborne’s ‘ Fiscal Charter’ which commits governments to achieve balanced budgets over a 5 year parliamentary cycle, may seem perplexing; given his clear … Continue reading ‘Living within our means’ →

The problem’s the jobs, not the people who do them.

Deputy Governor of the Bank of England Ben Broadbent thinks the growth of low-skilled and low paid-employment can be related to the increased availability of low skilled workers from different parts of Europe. (Guardian 24/09/15). Not only has this kept wage levels depressed, Broadbent argues, but it is also a reason why ‘human capital’ –the … Continue reading The problem’s the jobs, not the people who do them. →

Under-Grads, NEETs and the Apprenticeship Levy

The Certified Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) considered one the leading commentators on skill development and the labour market, has just published an extensive report about the ‘mismatch’ between graduates and the work they do. http://www.cipd.co.uk/publicpolicy/policy-reports/overqualification-skills-mismatch-graduate-labour-market.aspx CIPD estimates that 58% of graduates are now underemployed, doing work for which they are over qualified –even … Continue reading Under-Grads, NEETs and the Apprenticeship Levy →

As A-level juggernaut rolls on, is it really ‘university or apprenticeships’?

With A-level results announced earlier in the day, UCAS reported 409 000 successful university placements – up 3% against A level results day in 2014 and including 362,000 students accepted to their first choice. The 5% increase in 18 year olds and a 2% growth in those 19 has been at the expense of older students. There’s … Continue reading As A-level juggernaut rolls on, is it really ‘university or apprenticeships’? →