Schools and Education
The Education Secretary Nicky Morgan officially launched the Your Life campaign. The campaign was announced in May this year, but has now been officially launched. It will aim to work with businesses across the country to create opportunities in STEM for under-represented groups. Speaking at the launch Nicky Morgan said, “this campaign is going to help dispel the myths about STEM subjects”.
Skills
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced the launch of a new UCAS-style database of post-16 vocational employer-led courses. The database will go ‘live’ from September 2015.
A report by the Tech Partnership and SAS on the future demand for specialists in Big Data highlights that demand is currently outstripping supply, with demand forecast to increase by 160% between 2013 and 2020. The report warns that the UK “not having the right tools and people could be a barrier to competitive advantage”. The report emphasises the need for a multidisciplinary approach to data science, with businesses needing to develop data science teams comprising people with complementary skills.
A survey of nearly 3,000 UK businesses by the British Chamber of Commerce has found that 92% have identified skills shortages in at least one key area, with 80% stating plans to invest in further training. The most common skills shortages identified were in languages, leadership and management, planning and organising, and computer literacy and IT.
A report by the CBI has called on businesses and Government to work in partnership to incentivise managers and boards to create more opportunities for staff development and help them develop level 4 ‘middle-skills’. Further and higher education institutions also need to be encouraged to provide vocational education and training opportunities to both young people that offer progression into ‘middle-skill’ jobs as well as provide re-training opportunities to the existing workforce.
In his speech at the CBI Annual Conference Labour leader Ed Miliband announced that the focus of the next Labour Government “will be on a revolution in vocational education and apprenticeships.” He also announced his intention to establish a National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) that sets out an overarching vision for the strategic development of the UK’s infrastructure and identifies long-term infrastructure needs. Establishing a National Infrastructure Commission is a recommendation from The Armitt Review of national infrastructure planning, which was commissioned by the Labour Party.
A new report by the Skills Commission calls on Government to reform the existing skill system to ensure that skills provision is “relevant, responsive and forward-looking”. The report outlines four ‘Strategic Alerts’ that require immediate attention: uncertainty around who is responsible for training provision; lack of employer engagement; declining social mobility; and disjointed skills policy across government departments. The Commission is also concerned that there is “a narrow political focus on some aspects of vocational provision”, in particular apprenticeships at the expense of other pathways. It calls for Government to recognise and provide greater support for non-apprenticeship vocational pathways.
A report by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) has called for Government to commit long-term to devolving greater responsibility for skills and training to employers, arguing that “strong employer leadership is the key to tackling skills and productivity challenges”. A ‘step change’ is required in employers’ attitude to provision of apprenticeships and vocational training which can offer “clear and recognised technical and professional pathways”. The report says that Governments need to provide incentives to employers, but that it is also the responsibility of employers to help build a skilled future workforce.
An OECD report on vocational education and training (VET) has called for England and Northern Ireland to expand provision of higher level vocational programmes (Scotland did not take part in the survey). Compared to other countries both England and Northern Ireland have limited post-secondary VET, which could potentially lead to a shortage of mid-level skills. It says that the “proliferation of competing qualifications” has done much to undermine the value of vocational qualifications. The report also suggests that providing the vocational education workforce with opportunities to develop “a good balance of pedagogical preparation and professional competence” will prepare teachers with the skills to teach and train those taking up vocational programmes.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have announced the first Degree Apprenticeships in digital skills to “revolutionise the way young people develop digital skills”. The new qualifications will be industry-backed and will allow young people to complete a full honours degree alongside paid employment while paying no student fees. They will be mostly funded by Government, with employers paying a wage and contributing to training and course costs. Degree-level Apprenticeships were first announced by the Chancellor George Osborne in his Budget Statement in March 2014.
Careers
Research by the Sutton Trust shows that nearly one third (31%) of university graduates working as interns receive no pay. The research also shows that a London-based unpaid internship will cost an individual a minimum of £5,556 for a six month period. The Sutton Trust calls for internships that last longer than one month to be paid the National Minimum Wage, with positions advertised publicly along with a fair and meritocratic recruitment process.
Higher Education
A report by the Higher Education Commission has raised concerns about the long-term financial sustainability of higher education in England, calling for greater clarity on future funding of the sector. The report also calls on the Government to immediately address graduates’ access to funding for postgraduate education.
Science and Industry
The European Commission has agreed to a new “streamlined Regulation” for clinical trials in the UK, which will save UK businesses approximately £60 million per year, according to a report by the UK’s EU Business Taskforce.
A review of Catapult Centres by Dr Hermann Hauser has said that the UK is rapidly closing the gap with other countries with regard to developing ‘translational infrastructure’. However the UK must “maintain its focus and commitment to investing in the existing Catapults” and growing its Catapult network by 1 or 2 per year with a view to having no more than 30 by 2030.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has published its Triennial Review of the Council for Science & Technology (CST), finding that the CST provides a “valuable and valued input” to Government policy-making.
Other News
The Daphne Jackson Trust is recruiting a new Chair of the Board of Trustees to take over from Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell. The Trust is also looking for new Trustees. Further information about the role can be viewed on the Trust’s website.
