Morrisons to fund 1,000 degrees in retail studies

Supermarket chain aims to enrol 1,000 people in its ‘Futures’ programme within next 18 months.

According to the Guardian:

‘Morrisons will fund the degree studies of 1,000 A-level students in a move to recruit its future senior managers straight from school.’

‘The Bradford-based supermarket chain said the initiative, to be announced this week, would offer young people with the “right drive and attitude” the chance to get a management education from one of the UK’s top business schools without the attendant student debt. It aims to enrol 1,000 people in its “Futures” programme within the next 18 months, with the first 100 in place by the end of the summer.’

Access the full article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/aug/13/morrisons-fund-degrees-retail-studies

Source:  Gemma/ The Guardian

New Employability Skills programme for Nationwide Education

With the on-going debate on the future of Careers Advice in schools never off the news agenda and a recent CBI survey reporting that 70% of employers want action to improve the employability skills among young people, Nationwide Education (produced by dbda ltd) have developed a comprehensive new Employability Skills programme for ages 4 to 16.

Low literacy levels – the problem continues

In a report by the CBI, the employer’s organization showed that 42% of companies are not satisfied with the basic English skills of those who they recruit and 17% are worried about the low literacy skills of graduates.

The Evening Standard has recently initiated a Get London Reading campaign inviting members of the public to become volunteer readers in London schools. The campaign has already received huge support from politicians, writers, illustrators and celebrities. HRH the Duchess of Cornwall as patron of the National Literacy Trust has also leant her support.

CBI: Students want universities to better explain employability skills

The importance of students learning ‘employability skills’ in the classroom was highlighted last week with the results of the latest CBI/National Union of Students Education & Skills survey.

Just over half of students surveyed (57%) said they want their university to do more to help them with employability skills – including numeracy, teamwork, self-management and business awareness.

The results showed that employability skills are “the single most important consideration for 82% of businesses when recruiting graduates. However 70% of employers said that university students need to do more to prepare themselves to be effective in the workplace.”

CBI Director for Education & Skills, Susan Anderson said, “Competition for jobs is intense and graduate unemployment remains high, so students need to proactively develop relevant employability skills. But at the same time all universities need to explain these skills better and make sure they embed them in teaching.”

Nationwide Education (www.NationwideEducation.co.uk) is currently developing an Employability Skills programme, due out this summer. It will focus on teaching all ages (in particular secondary school students and above) about the world of work, and the key employability skills they will need to enter it.

To read more about the CBI results you can view the press release here:
http://www.cbi.org.uk/ndbs/press.nsf/0363c1f07c6ca12a8025671c00381cc7/60519e9e213d34268025788f003808ef?OpenDocument

MG, Account Manager

School leavers lack key employability skills

A survey published by the Confederation of British Industry highlights the lack of key employability skills in the majority of young school leavers. Key areas of concern are English, numeracy, self-management and the growing decline in students taking STEM subjects.

A spokesman for the Department of Education agreed that it is right for employers to raise concerns and commented that the Government are commited to “The recruitment of specialist maths teachers, introducing phonics-based reading for six-year-olds and restoring the rigour of GCSE and A-level exams” in order to help improve matters.

See the full BBC news story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13310246

Nationwide Education will soon be launching an Employability  resources for ages 4-16 helping to develop key employability skills in students and to encourage career aspirations. Keep checking the website for more details. www.NationwideEducation.co.uk

Careers advice is failing a generation of school leavers

New research commissioned by Future First into social mobility and careers advice, has found that a generation of young people is being let down as a result of bad careers advice at school.

The poll, conducted by YouGov, revealed that 64% of adults said their school careers advisors had not been important in helping advance their careers and only 13% of young people said their careers advice had been important in helping them access a job.

The research also reveals the concerns of 16-19 year old students - 70% of whom believe it will be difficult to gain access to a good career and 39% who said they don’t know anyone with a career they would like to do.

Jess Cordingly, managing director of Future First said, “With youth unemployment at a record high and social mobility stagnating, this research is a wake-up call that should lead to meaningful change in the provision of careers advice.” She added, “Access to role models is key to social mobility and we are at risk of limiting the prospects of 600,000 young people this year alone, by not providing credible careers advice.”

Read the full report at Future First.

Nicki, Business Director

StartUp Britain launched to boost UK enterprise

David Cameron PM, today launched ‘StartUp Britain’, a private sector response to the Government’s call for an “enterprise-led” recovery.

The new initiative has support from the Coalition Government and leading international brands including Barclays, BlackBerry, Experian, Intel, Microsoft, McKinsey & Co. and Virgin Media. It aims to provide the best support and advice for startup companies and will be led by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs.

With over 270,000 new businesses setting up each year, StartUp Britain aims help drive growth by accelerating, inspiring and celebrating Britain’s start-up talent.

Visit the StartUp Britain website to find out more.

Nicki, Business Director, dbda

Unemployment rises to 2.5 million – a 17-year high

Unemployment has risen to 2.53 million, the highest it has been since 1994, with the rate of youth unemployment soaring to a 20-year peak. Ministers, however, are keen to highlight the expansion in private-sector employment over the past year, up 428,000 and in line with the Coalition’s aim of “rebalancing” the economy. One factor may be that record numbers of older people are working beyond retirement age. The Office for National Statistics points to a rise of 200,000 in the number of over 65-year-olds in work since 2009, bringing the total to 900,000.

Source: Telegraph

Michelle, Account Manager

Government announces funding for 1,000 Green Deal apprenticeships

Interesting announcement from the Government – tackling the economy and creating jobs while investing in sustainability and the ‘green economy’. I think its a great initiative. An excerpt from the news item is below:

“The Government has announced today that it will help fund the training of 1000 apprenticeships as part of its flagship Green Deal programme. The Green Deal, which will come into effect in 2012, will fund energy efficiency measures, including insulation, heating and lighting, to Britain’s homes and businesses. The Government estimates it will support 100,000 jobs by 2015 with the potential to support up to 250,000 longer term.

“The Green Deal is about the future – and it is important we ensure that future generations have the skills they need to take advantage of the opportunities of the green economy. These apprenticeships are a perfect example of how Government and business can work together towards a low carbon future,” said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Scepticism
Today’s apprenticeship announcement has received the backing of leading companies, including B&Q, Carillion, E.ON, British Gas and InstaGroup, which are expecting to benefit from the supply chain opportunities being created by it.”

Full article: http://www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk/news/government-announces-funding-for-1000-green-deal-apprenticeships-2171.aspx

Michelle, Account Manager

Employers want apprentices, not graduates

Results of a poll of more than 500 employers reveal that many would rather take on an apprentice than hire a graduate. The findings paint a picture of a return to the days when school-leavers were articled or took up apprenticeships and started earning a wage before returning to some form of work-placed study. The poll, conducted by City and Guilds, shows that 52% of those companies which already recruit apprentices believe they offer greater value than hiring graduates.

Source: The Independent (full article: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/employers-want-apprentices-not-graduates-2206347.html)
(Michelle)