Three former education secretaries back calls for urgent changes to apprenticeship levy – here’s why Skills gap 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’ Rishi Sunak 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 Manpower 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 [...]
STEM skills shortage continues to hit UK businesses, says Gattaca boss August 17, 2022 The boss of engineering and technology recruiter Gattaca has said the UK’s current shortage of STEM skills is continuing to hit firms. Chief executive Matthew Wragg said today that the London-listed firm was “well placed” as it entered a new financial year, amid a limited supply of the “niche” skills. “There remains a shortage of [...]
More than two thirds of all British businesses face an acute skills shortage resulting in trading hit or stalled growth June 29, 2022 More than three quarters of UK firms have said they are seeing trading hit or growth stalled amid intensifying skills shortages. The Open University’s annual Business Barometer report, which was conducted in partnership with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) this year, found that more than two thirds (68%) of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) [...]
University education can’t deliver the skills we need for the economy of the future March 1, 2022 TOO many jobs, wage inflation, and an abundance of flexible working opportunities. Compared to the threat of mass unemployment when the pandemic began two years ago, these feel like better problems to have. But labour market figures released last month revealed one serious problem: an exodus of older workers. Since March 2020, the number of [...]
UK government should upskill managers to level up the country, CMI says February 7, 2022 The UK government should invest in efforts to upskill Britain’s managers in its bid to tackle regional inequality, according to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). The trade body for managers said the government should fund schemes to improve Britain’s leadership skills, in order to increase productivity and level up the country. CMI chief executive Ann [...]