UK faces ‘critical bottleneck’ on skilled jobs ahead of green transition November 28, 2023 The UK faces a “critical bottleneck” on skilled infrastructure jobs ahead of the green transition, an energy firm has warned.
Labour vows to overhaul apprenticeship levy to improve skills and growth September 25, 2023 Labour has pledged to reform the apprenticeship levy in a bid to encourage firms to improve their employees' skills.
Over-50s skills gap persists as unemployment increases August 15, 2023 Skills bootcamps schemes are failing to get over-50s back onto payrolls, despite ministers prioritising older Brits returning to the workforce. Labour accused the government of not helping enough over-55s to retrain and claimed older workers were “abandoned to the scrapheap”, making up just one in 20 reskilling trainees. Adults aged 55 to 67 make up [...]
‘Lean in’ to artificial intelligence, education secretary urges firms June 29, 2023 Businesses need to “lean in” to the power of artificial intelligence (AI), education secretary Gillian Keegan has said. The education secretary told City A.M. indulging in fears about AI wiping out jobs and opportunities was unproductive. Asked whether she was concerned about the impact of the new technology such as ChatGPT and Bard altering or [...]
Three former education secretaries back calls for urgent changes to apprenticeship levy – here’s why May 21, 2023 Calls to link the apprenticeship levy to Britain’s immigration policy have been backed by three former education secretaries. Lord David Blunkett, Sir Gavin Williamson and Nadhim Zahawi have lent support to a report calling for urgent changes to the government’s levy on firms to pay for apprenticeships – including linking the scheme to visa rules [...]
Business groups ‘welcome’ maths focus to plug ‘skills gap’ April 17, 2023 Business groups say Rishi Sunak’s focus on maths is a “welcome” measure to plug key “skills gaps” as Britain goes for growth, despite concerns over a lack of teachers. The Prime Minister has unveiled plans to transform the UK’s approach to maths education, including an expert advisory group, maths hubs and a new primary teaching [...]
Skills shortage doubled since pre-Brexit and pandemic as four in five firms struggle to fill roles March 27, 2023 Four in five businesses are struggling to fill vacancies because of a lack of skilled workers – the highest number in 17 years, new research suggests. Employment group Manpower said the number of employers reporting skills shortages has increased six-fold over the last decade – and more than doubled since pre-Brexit and the pandemic. A [...]
Government should axe apprenticeship levy and forge skills body, says CBI exec October 18, 2022 The government should axe its levy on apprenticeships, the head of skills at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said, as the UK wrestles with STEM skills shortages and shrinking talent pools. Speaking to the science and technology Lords committee in parliament yesterday, the CBI’s Robert West urged that an independent government taskforce to [...]
Your career in finance – what really counts September 30, 2022 | City Talk The finance industry is booming. With the purpose-driven gen-z entering the workplace, the finance industry provides an opportunity to make a difference whilst forging a professional career. The recent Future of Skills report published by CFA Institute digs into the priorities of employers and employees in the investment sector and the challenges the industry currently [...]
Hays’ shareholders to catch £170m windfall amid skills shortage August 25, 2022 Hays, the FTSE recruitment giant, is planning to return nearly £170m in dividends to its shareholders, as “acute skills shortages” mean the company can hike its fees. Bosses plan to dish out some £47.3m in core dividends, and a special dividend of £121.2m, rewarding shareholders with “significant cash” worth £168.5m, chief executive Alistair Cox said [...]