College funding cuts will deepen skills shortfall, warn businesses ahead of Westminster march

Businesses warn of skills shortfall as thousands set to march on Parliament to protest post-16 funding cuts. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/uk-colleges-funding-cuts-skills-gap-westminster-march-aoc-education-unions-a8586521.html The UK risks being left behind if the Government does not address the skills gap through education, business leaders from 500 small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have warned. More than half (51 per cent) of SMEs are experiencing difficulty finding…
Read more

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE – DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION WRITTEN QUESTION – ANSWERED ON 5TH DECEMBER 2018.

In response to a written question asked by the Labour Lord Murphy of Torfaen :- “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Careers Strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents, published on 4 December 2017.” https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2018-11-23.HL11756.h&s=careers+education#gHL11756.r0 The following responses were submitted by the Conservative Lord  Agnew of Oulton :-…
Read more

STATE SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDERREPRESENTED IN TOP UK GRADUATE SCHEMES

    Young people educated in state schools are under-represented in Britain’s top graduate schemes, according to the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) as reported in FE News, 24th September 2018. https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/20111-top-graduate-jobs-soar-yet-state-schooled-graduates-are-vastly-underrepresented Only 57 per cent of graduates hired by companies had a state-school education – compared to 91 per cent across the population, according to a survey from…
Read more

FINLAND BUILDING A ROBOT TO SUPPORT CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Finland is building a robot that will help you get a job The new tool will warn you when your skills are becoming outdated THIS IS AN EXTRACT TAKEN FROM APOLITICAL Talk of robots in the labour market usually focuses on their job-destroying capabilities (or lack of them). But in Finland, the government is building a bot…
Read more

ENSURING YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE THE ‘BEST POSSIBLE’ CAREERS ADVICE

Anne Milton, Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships has published a new article in FE Week “As the Department for Education announces plans to take action against schools that aren’t complying with the ‘Baker clause’, Anne Milton urges providers to contact her directly with their experiences, and outlines what else the government is doing to ensure young…
Read more

CLOSING THE GENDER PAY GAP IN ENGLAND

  The UK has one of the highest gender pay gaps in Europe and pay reporting can only be the first step in closing it, says the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee in their Report on ‘Gender pay gap reporting’. Read the summary Read the conclusions and recommendations Read the full report: Gender pay…
Read more

TRENDS IN SCHOOL FUNDING: PRESSURES IN ENGLAND

A new report by the Education Policy Institute examines the latest trends in local authority maintained school balances, and assesses whether all schools will be able to meet cost pressures over the next two years, following recent government funding reforms. This new analysis, School funding pressures in England, builds on EPI research last year on the implications…
Read more

STRENGTHENED LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIPS IN ENGLAND: CHANGES ON THE HORIZON?

In the Industrial Strategy (published in November 2017) , Government committed to work with Local Enterprise Partnerships to bring forward reforms to leadership, governance, accountability, financial reporting and geographical boundaries. This new Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government report (24th July 2018)  marks the conclusion of the Ministerial review of Local Enterprise Partnerships and…
Read more

EDUCATION POLICY INSTITUTE: ANNUAL REPORT ON THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN ENGLAND

EDUCATION POLICY INSTITUTE: ANNUAL REPORT ON THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN ENGLAND The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has published its Annual Report on the state of education in England – including the progress made in closing the gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. The Education in England: Annual Report 2018 considers how the disadvantage gap has…
Read more

NEW MULTI-MILLION POUND DEAL TO BOOST SKILLS ACROSS WEST MIDLANDS

  EXTRACT FROM: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-multi-million-pound-deal-to-boost-skills-across-west-midlands Businesses, young people and adults across the West Midlands are set to benefit from a new skills deal, which could unlock up to £69million, the Education Secretary has announced today (18 July). The skills deal agreed with the West Midlands Combined Authority will boost digital and technical skills, job opportunities and…
Read more