A paper called for a new approach to the development of the younger workforce in the United Kingdom. It called for a range of measures, including: high quality vocational training (through apprenticeships) that led to a valued qualification; a charter to protect young workers; a new framework for the delivery of job creation and welfare-to-work schemes; and statutory obligations for workforce development.
Source: Martyn Sloman, A Black Paper on NEETs and Apprenticeships: A personal view on the crisis in skills and employment facing the UK's young people, Training Journal
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Sep
A report evaluated the Your first EURES job scheme, a mobility scheme implemented by the European Commission between 2011 and 2013 to help young Europeans between ages 18 and 30 to find a job, traineeship, or apprenticeship in other European Union countries. The evaluation examined the results achieved over the first two years of the scheme and considered the main challenges to be addressed in the future. The report made a range of recommendations, including calling on the Commission to: continue managing the scheme at European Union level; embed the scheme within the EURES services; ensure a balance of project types and geographical coverage; and extend the duration of projects and strengthen public-private partnership networks.
Source: Ecorys, Evaluation of the Your first EURES job Preparatory Action: Final report, European Commission
Links: Report | Summary | CEDEFOP press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A report provided the findings of a research project that examined the transitions of young people into work, what they needed to be ready for work, and what made a difference to their work readiness. It said that discussions about work readiness often referred to a list of 'employability skills' that were essentially outcomes, or second-order factors (such as leadership, teamwork, problem solving, and communication), but young people and their supporters were not clear on how they acquired those capabilities and stakeholders lacked a 'common language' to describe the necessary attributes. The report suggested a group of six 'vital' capabilities that were needed in order to be ready for work (being self aware, being receptive to advice and ideas, drive, being self-assured, resilience, and being informed regarding the job market), and made a range of recommendations.
Source: Ready for Work: The capabilities young people need to find and keep work – and the programmes proven to help develop these, Impetus – The Private Equity Foundation
Links: Report | Impetus press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A report (by an official advisory body) said that despite some signs of development, not enough action had yet been taken towards developing the provision of information, advice, and guidance on learning and work (careers advice). The report had examined progress on recommendations made in a 2013 report and now made further recommendations, including the reiteration of its advice to implement an employer-led advisory board to guide the work of the National Careers Service.
Source: Taking Action: Achieving a culture change in careers provision, National Careers Council
Links: Report | 2013 report | ATL press release | UKCES press release | BBC report
Date: 2014-Sep
A new book examined the reforms in activation policies in the United States of America and eight European countries (the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, France, Portugal, and the Czech Republic). It said there had been two key trends during the ten years to 2010 (a strengthened role for the market in the governance of activation, and greater individualization of service delivery) and that the sovereign debt crisis in Europe had led to further reforms.
Source: Ivar Lodemel and Amilcar Moreira, Activation or Workfare? Governance and the neo-liberal convergence, Oxford University Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Sep
A series of reports and briefings summarized evidence, practical points, and case studies on approaches and actions that might be taken by local authorities on a range of issues to reduce health inequalities (drawing on expertise from the Marmot Review). Reports covered: parenting programmes; home to school transition; pupils' resilience in school; reducing the number of young people not in employment, education, or training; adult learning; increasing employment for older people and people with disabilities; improving workplace health; the living wage; fuel poverty; home-related health problems; access to green spaces; and the economics of investing in social determinants of health.
Source: Local Action on Health Inequalities: Introduction to a series of evidence papers, Public Health England
Links: Overarching report | Themed reports
Date: 2014-Sep
A report examined the impact on students and higher education institutions of the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS) exchange programme. It concluded that students who studied or trained abroad were more likely to improve their employment prospects, and were around half as likely to experience long-term unemployment as their graduate peers.
Source: Effects of Mobility on the Skills and Employability of Students and the Internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions, European Union
Links: Report | EC press release | BBC report
Date: 2014-Sep
A new book examined media, policy, and political discourses around the graduate labour market in Britain, arguing that the assumptions made by many policymakers and media outlets regarding graduate work, skills, and occupations were no longer valid within the changing educational and labour market contexts.
Source: Gerbrand Tholen, The Changing Nature of the Graduate Labour Market: Media, policy and political discourses in the UK, Palgrave Pivot
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Sep
A think-tank report examined trends in youth unemployment in the United Kingdom, recent policy measures, and lessons learned from policy in Europe. It argued that, for many young people in the United Kingdom who did not go to university, the transition from education to employment was 'ill-defined, poor quality and ineffective'. The report said that economic recovery alone would not solve the structural youth unemployment problem in the UK. It called for policy changes to address the number of young people who were not in education, employment, or training and made a range of recommendations, including for better careers guidance, and the reform of apprenticeships.
Source: Tony Dolphin, Remember the Young Ones: Improving career opportunities for Britain's young people, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report | IPPR press release | TUC press release
Date: 2014-Aug
An article compared employed and unemployed job-seekers in their individual characteristics, preferences over working hours, job-search strategies, and employment histories. Systematic differences were found, which persisted over the business cycle. These results were consistent with a segmented labour market in which employed and unemployed job-seekers were unlikely to directly compete with each other for jobs.
Source: Simonetta Longhi and Mark Taylor, 'Employed and unemployed job seekers and the business cycle', Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Volume 76 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
A report provided an overview of the existing state of the labour market for young people, and outlined statistics on United Kingdom youth unemployment, with international comparisons.
Source: Precarious Futures? Youth employment in an international context, UK Commission for Employment and Skills
Links: Report | UKCES press release
Date: 2014-Aug
A new book examined the lives of young people in the north of England classified as NEET (not in education, employment, or training), or at risk of becoming NEET, and their experiences on the margins of education and employment. The book considered the implications for practitioners and policymakers, evaluated existing policy initiatives, and outlined strategies at local and national government level to improve the lives of NEET young people.
Source: Robin Simmons, Ron Thompson, and Lisa Russell, Education, Work and Social Change: Young people and marginalization in post-industrial Britain, Palgrave Macmillan
Links: Summary
Date: 2014-Aug
A report examined the early findings from the evaluation of the Innovation Fund pilot initiative, aimed at supporting disadvantaged young people, through the use of Social Impact Bond (SIB) contracts. The work aimed to prevent young people from becoming NEET (not in education, employment, or training), or to support those already NEET to re-engage with education, training and employment. The SIB model was based on payment by results, dependent on the achievement of specified social outcomes including jobs, improved behaviour and attendance at school, and qualifications. The report said that most projects had bedded in after some early teething difficulties and were progressing well, and that the funding model had been a key driver of behaviours, focusing attention on generating 'starts' and tracking individual participants towards the achievement of outcomes. The report was the first part of a broader evaluation of the programme.
Source: Andrew Thomas and Rita Griffiths, Innovation Fund Pilots Qualitative Evaluation: Early implementation findings, Research Report 880, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jul
A report examined the labour market situation of young people in Europe, including their school-to-work transition, the more general transition to adulthood, and the lives of those who remained in employment during the economic crisis. It also examined the policy measures implemented by selected member states (including the United Kingdom) in support of school-to-work transitions.
Source: Massimiliano Mascherini, Anna Ludwinek, Carlos Vacas, Anja Meierkord, and Michael Gebel, Mapping Youth Transitions in Europe, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
Date: 2014-Jul
A report said that recent emphasis on the provision of apprenticeships had been aimed at regrading existing workers, rather than recruiting and upskilling young people. It said that many opportunities had been low-skilled and 'dead end', benefitting private training agencies rather than new young workers. The report considered the future of apprenticeships, contrasting the United Kingdom system with the German 'dual system' and arguing that, while traditional conceptions of vocational education needed to be rethought, robust alternative economic policies were also necessary.
Source: Martin Allen and Patrick Ainley, A Great Training Robbery or a Real Alternative for Young People? Apprenticeships at the start of the 21st century, Radicaled
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2014-Jul
An audit report in Wales said that the Welsh Government was well placed to help to reduce the numbers of 16-18 year olds who were not in education, employment, or training (NEET), but was less well placed to reduce the number of 19-24 year olds who were NEET and to determine value for money. It said that councils were also clearly committed to reducing the proportion of young people NEET, especially those aged 16-18, but their planning was variable and councils had made less progress in understanding the costs of services and in evaluating the effectiveness of their interventions. The report made recommendations.
Source: Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training, Wales Audit Office
Links: Report | WAO press release
Date: 2014-Jul
An article examined the European Union youth strategy, applying a 'southern theory perspective' to examine reasons for a lack of impact on levels of youth unemployment, underemployment, and child and youth poverty.
Source: Judith Bessant and Rob William Watts, '"Cruel optimism": a southern theory perspective on the European Union's Youth Strategy, 2008 2012', International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, Volume 19 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jul
A paper examined the impact of early experiences on young people's labour market transitions beyond compulsory schooling in the United Kingdom. It said that there was evidence of causal impact of prior experience and that it was important to distinguish between unemployment and inactivity among non-students. The paper discussed a simulation exercise that assessed the authors' model of transition between activity states (employment, unemployment, education and a residual category), and discussed the implications for the design of interventions aimed at improving young people's employment prospects.
Source: Richard Dorsett and Paolo Lucchino, Young people's labour market transitions: the role of early experiences, Discussion Paper 419, National Institute for Economic and Social Research
Links: Discussion paper | Summary
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper presented findings on the impact of the recession, cost of living increases, and changes to the social security system on young people in Northern Ireland, drawn from the Communities in Action (CiA) Programme, a community-led research project with eight working class communities across the country. Key findings included: that the education maintenance allowance was considered a vital resource for young people from low-income families; that many families were unable to afford computers and internet access at home; that many now felt that a university education was out of reach; that young people felt trapped in a cycle of part-time low paid jobs, and found few opportunities for full-time work or a career; and that young people had aspirations and acted on them, but needed more support to achieve their ambitions.
Source: Gabi Kent, Hard Times 3: Youth perspectives, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jun
The Scottish Government published the final report from the Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce. The report focused on the enhancement of the status of vocational education, and on the engagement of business and industry with schools and colleges. It made a wide range of recommendations for schools, colleges, and employers, including for encouraging and supporting employers to recruit more young people, and for addressing equalities issues across gender, Black and minority-ethnic groups, disabilities, and for care leavers.
Source: Education Working For All! Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce Final Report, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Summary | Scottish Government press release | BBC report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2014-Jun
An article examined the use of focus group methodology as part of a life course approach, building on the work of Julia Brannen. Drawing on a study of young British and Asian adults' experiences of the transition from university to full-time employment, the article presented and discussed data from focus groups to highlight how young people discussed their individual choices, and related this to Brannen's conceptualization of the three modalities on which young people draw when talking about the future.
Source: Uracha Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, Janet Smithson, and Suzan Lewis, 'Focus group methodology in a life course approach – individual accounts within a peer cohort group', International Journal of Social Research Methodology, Volume 17 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-May
An article examined the extent to which cyclical, structural, and institutional factors explained cross-national variation in youth labour market integration in Europe. It said that economic globalization had a positive effect on youth labour market integration. Young people also experienced fewer difficulties with labour market integration where the educational system was more vocationally specific. Where employment protection legislation of incumbent workers was stricter, young people experienced more difficulties with labour market integration, especially those who were higher-educated.
Source: Marloes de Lange, Maurice Gesthuizen, and Maarten Wolbers, 'Youth labour market integration across Europe: the impact of cyclical, structural, and institutional characteristics', European Societies, Volume 16 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Apr
A report by a committee of peers said that youth unemployment was one of the most urgent problems facing Europe, having been exacerbated by the economic crisis. It said that responsibility for action rested primarily with member states, but the European Union could add value by encouraging the exchange of good practice between member states, by supporting them to co-ordinate their responses, and by kick-starting structural changes. It also discussed the performance of the Youth Guarantee and Youth Contract. The report called for a range of measures, including: a combination of support for immediate action and for action to address longer term structural and systemic issues in the European labour market; for changes to the existing system of managing EU funding in England, with Local Enterprise Partnerships and their partner local authorities given sufficient control of funds in order to identify, plan, manage, and deliver local schemes; and for meaningful consultation of young people in the development and implementation of programmes.
Source: Youth Unemployment in the EU: A scarred generation?, 12th Report (Session 2013–14), HL 164, House of Lords European Union Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release
Date: 2014-Apr
A report examined the causes of London's high youth unemployment rate. It examined which groups of young people found it most difficult to find work; the variation in outcomes for school-leavers and young people from ethnic minorities; the geography of youth unemployment in London; and the impact of wider labour market dynamics. The report made recommendations.
Source: Ceri Hughes and Lizzie Crowley, London: A tale of two cities – addressing the youth employment challenge, Work Foundation
Links: Report | Work Foundation press release
Date: 2014-Apr
A report examined the geography of youth employment prospects across the United Kingdom, and considered the case for tailored local approaches, and the role of local partners in addressing youth unemployment. It said that there was a distinctive geographic pattern, with unemployment in the highest areas (such as Middlesbrough, Barnsley, and Glasgow) more than twice that of the lowest (Southampton, York, and Reading). The report made policy recommendations.
Source: Lizzie Crowley and Nye Cominetti, The Geography of Youth Unemployment: A route map for change, Work Foundation
Links: Report | Work Foundation press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2014-Apr
The Scottish Government published a new youth work strategy and implementation plan.
Source: Our Ambitions for Improving The Life Chances of Young People in Scotland: National Youth Work Strategy 2014-2019, Scottish Government/YouthLink Scotland/Education Scotland
Links: Report | Scottish Government press release | SNP press release
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined the progress of research into education-work transitions in Europe. It said that the research had made 'significant if uneven' progress towards explaining national differences in transitions. Its achievements appeared more significant when viewed from a perspective that emphasized the case-oriented rather than variables-oriented aims of comparative research.
Source: David Raffe, 'Explaining national differences in education-work transitions: twenty years of research on transition systems', European Societies, Volume 16 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined a partnership approach to careers information for young people that was developed by schools, local businesses, and public sector employers in Mansfield, a town in the East Midlands of England. It said that the organizations had provided a strategic careers programme, funded by the local secondary schools, based on what young people said they wanted and needed to know. The article described the programme.
Source: Jo Hutchinson and Berni Dickinson, 'Employers and schools: how Mansfield is building a world of work approach', Local Economy, Volume 29 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Apr
A report provided findings from a study of apprenticeship provision that supported key growth sectors in England which had substantial science, technology, engineering, or mathematics content (referred to as Technical Apprenticeships). It considered the capacity of the apprenticeship system to meet the demands from these sectors, and examined key drivers for change, and the various constraints on provision.
Source: Colin McCaig, Terence Hogarth, Lynn Gambin, and Lucy Clague, Technical Apprenticeships: Research into the need for and capacity to deliver STEM related apprenticeship provision in England, Research Report 171, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Apr
A think-tank report called for fairer sanctions for non-compliance with the conditions attached to receipt of job seekers allowance in the United Kingdom. It estimated that nearly 5,600 claimants per month lost payment of benefits as a result of receiving a first 'lower tier' sanction violation which was then later overturned. The report recommended that first time sanctions should result in benefits being paid on a payment card for the duration of the sanction, which would need to be collected from the Jobcentre. It also recommended more punitive sanctions for those repeatedly breaching conditionality, and greater support for legitimate appeals.
Source: Guy Miscampbell, Smarter Sanctions: Sorting out the system, Policy Exchange
Links: Report | Policy Exchange press release
Date: 2014-Mar
An article presented findings from a longitudinal study of young people in England who had spent significant periods of time categorized as NEET (not in education, employment or training). It focused on their lived experience as they moved between various sites of exclusion and participation in the labour market. It highlighted a range of tensions between the aspirations of young people and the opportunities open to them.
Source: Robin Simmons, Lisa Russell, and Ron Thompson, 'Young people and labour market marginality: findings from a longitudinal ethnographic study', Journal of Youth Studies, Volume 17 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
A report examined the extent of youth unemployment and underemployment in England and Wales. It said that the scale of the problem was hidden because official figures did not account for those young people working part-time, or who were working in jobs for which they were over qualified. The report called for policy-makers and service providers to: develop targeted measures to address long-term unemployment; incentivize employers to offer apprenticeships; develop more joined-up service provision; work to resolve skills mismatches; and support career progression for young people.
Source: Laura Gardiner, Totalling the Hidden Talent: Youth unemployment and underemployment in England and Wales, Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion/Local Government Association
Links: Report | LGA press release
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined rural and urban youth employment prospects in England, based on semi-structured interviews and data from the British Household Panel Survey. It said that young people in rural locations faced distinct labour market disadvantages arising from issues such as a lack of network/contacts, inability to access unadvertised job vacancies, the absence of larger businesses in the locality, and the inability to relocate.
Source: Martin Culliney, 'Going nowhere? Rural youth labour market opportunities and obstacles', Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, Volume 22 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
A series of related short reports examined young people's experiences of the welfare system in England. The reports examined the support provided by Jobcentre Plus, young people's views on benefit sanctions, and their views on the existing and ongoing welfare reforms, in particular how they felt the introduction of universal credit would affect them.
Source 1: Processed and Punished: An insight into vulnerable young people's perspectives on the current welfare system and Jobcentre Plus, Young Men's Christian Association
Links: Report | YMCA press release
Source 2: Signed On and Sanctioned: An insight into vulnerable young people's perspectives on the benefit sanctions, Young Men's Christian Association
Links: Report | YMCA press release
Source 3: Uninformed and Underprepared: An insight into vulnerable young people's perspectives on the planned reforms to the welfare system and the introduction of Universal Credit, Young Men's Christian Association
Links: Report | YMCA press release
Date: 2014-Mar
A report examined apprenticeships in the health sector in Wales, the factors underpinning demand, and the barriers to increasing uptake. It said that apprenticeships played an important role in supporting the sector in both clinical and non-clinical roles, but the majority of apprentices had been existing staff, and over half of the new starters were on non-health programmes. Awareness and take-up of health apprenticeships in other parts of the health sector (outside the health boards) was low and, where respondents were aware of apprenticeships, they most often reported that they were for young people, and were not thought of as used in clinical or health-related occupations. The report made recommendations for Skills for Health to work with organisations to improve uptake and opportunities.
Source: Apprenticeships in the Welsh Health Sector: Issues and opportunities to increase uptake, Skills for Health
Links: Report | SfH press release
Date: 2014-Feb
A paper examined survey data on the incomes and living costs of young people in the United Kingdom. It said that their average incomes had fallen while those of the 'baby-boomer' generation had risen strongly, with the gap between the wages of under 21 year olds and the over 50s having risen by over 50 per cent since 1997. The paper said that there had been a contemporaneous increase in living costs due to rising rents, energy prices, and transport costs. It noted the potential long-term implications and called for a policy response.
Source: David Kingman and Ashley Seager, Squeezed Youth: The intergenerational pay gap and the cost of living crisis, Intergenerational Foundation
Links: Paper | Intergenerational Foundation press release
Date: 2014-Feb
A think-tank report examined the role and experience of apprenticeships in the United Kingdom. It made a range of recommendations for central and local government and for business, including a large increase in apprenticeship numbers, changes to funding through the Youth Contract, and for schools to be held more accountable for the future employability of their pupils.
Source: Jonathan Todd, Up to the Job, Demos
Links: Report | Summary | Demos press release
Date: 2014-Feb
A report examined young people's experiences of the Youth Contract, based on data from a survey. The Youth Contract was introduced in April 2012 to provide additional support for unemployed young people between the ages of 18 and 24, additional funding for work experience and sector-based work academies placements, and a wage incentive for some employers.
Source: Nick Coleman, Stephen McGinigal, and Sarah Hingley, Customers' Experiences of the Youth Contract, Research Report 865, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Summary | Related research
Date: 2014-Feb
A report examined the challenges faced by unemployed young people when trying to gain work in private-sector companies. Drawing on two case studies in two separate companies in England, it said that, while the population of young people who were not in education, employment, or training was diverse, the most vulnerable young people were at greater risk of long-term disadvantage and needed more personalized support than their peers. The report said that young people needed to be properly prepared for job seeking and applications, including the development of soft skills, and that, while continuing support during work placements was important, the relative roles of employers and support services needed to be clarified and acted upon.
Source: Lisa Russell, Ron Thompson, and Robin Simmons, Helping Unemployed Young People to Find Private Sector Work, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2014-Feb
A report evaluated the Youth Contract wage incentive. The Youth Contract was implemented to provide a range of additional help for unemployed young people and the wage incentive was offered in some circumstances to employers that recruited an 18-24-year-old. The report examined views of employers and jobcentre staff. Most of the employers engaging with the scheme were small (76 per cent had fewer than 50 employees). 19 per cent of employers said that they had created an additional vacancy because of the incentive, and one third said that the incentive made them more likely to retain the employee in post for at least six months. The report made recommendations for improvements to the scheme.
Source: Nick Coleman, Stephen McGinigal, Andrew Thomas, Emily Fu, and Sarah Hingley, Evaluation of the Youth Contract Wage Incentive: Wave two research, Research Report 864, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Summary | Related reports
Date: 2014-Feb
The Welsh government published its four year youth work strategy, following a consultation in 2013. It outlined a need for stronger connections between youth work provision and formal education, and for closer working between statutory and voluntary youth work organizations to achieve a more consistent service. It called for a stronger evidence base on the impact of youth work and outlined how this might be improved. It also discussed funding measures, including the new Youth Work Strategy Support Grant.
Source: The National Youth Work Strategy for Wales 2014-2018: Supporting young people to reach their potential and live fulfilled lives, Welsh Government
Links: Strategy | Welsh Government press release
Date: 2014-Feb
A report evaluated Reach the Heights, a £29 million initiative which aimed to prepare young people for employment by raising aspirations and increasing their participation in learning. The programme consisted of two projects – First Footholds (which aimed to improve the educational outcomes of young people at risk of underachieving) and Routes to the Summit (which aimed to support young people to make a successful transition into employment). The report concluded that the projects had led to improved personal and social skills among young people, but there were many missed opportunities to provide lessons from the activities in the projects, which meant that outcomes were unclear and which made it difficult to make positive statements about what appeared to be working, or how the activities should be delivered more effectively to achieve desired outcomes. The report recommended a range of measures to improve future work in this area.
Source: ICF GHK, Final Evaluation of Reach the Heights, Research Paper 01/14, Welsh Government
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jan
An article described a longitudinal ethnographic study of 20 young people who had been officially classified as not in education, employment or training (NEET). It analyzed how young people comprehended, used, and encountered places and spaces relating to residence, work, and learning; and the role of 'spatialities' in reproducing or interrupting aspects of social exclusion and marginality. Young people often felt isolated and lacked control over their lives: this resulted in alienation from authority and community that tended to further marginalize them, distancing them from meaningful contexts of education, training, and work.
Source: Ron Thompson, Lisa Russell, and Robin Simmons, 'Space, place and social exclusion: an ethnographic study of young people outside education and employment', Journal of Youth Studies, Volume 17 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan
A paper examined the employment situation of young and old workers in the European Union member states during the recent economic crisis, and policies implemented to promote their employment. It said that, although policies to enhance the functioning of European Union labour markets were crucial to both groups, policy responsibility still predominantly lay within member states. However, it noted that initiatives taken at the European Union level could still add value, such as through facilitating regional and cross-border mobility.
Source: Werner Eichhorst, Tito Boeri, An de Coen, Vincenzo Galasso, Michael Kendzia, and Nadia Steiber, How to Combine the Entry of Young People in the Labour Market with the Retention of Older Workers?, Institute for the Study of Labor (Bonn)
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jan
A report examined the strengths and challenges of postsecondary vocational education and training in Northern Ireland. The report compared and benchmarked provision in an international context, and noted challenges such as qualification reform and progression pathways. The government also published its initial response and said that the findings would feed into ongoing reviews.
Source: Jose-Luis Alvarez-Galvan, A Skills Beyond School Commentary on Northern Ireland, OECD
Links: Report | Departmental response | NIE press release
Date: 2014-Jan
A report examined young people and employment in eight European countries, including the United Kingdom. It said that although there were insufficient jobs, employers also could not find the skills they needed. It discussed the barriers to obtaining further and vocational education and made suggestions for change at the national and European Union level.
Source: Mona Mourshed, Jigar Patel, and Katrin Suder, Education to Employment: Getting Europe s youth into work, McKinsey Center for Government
Links: Report | Summary | BBC report
Date: 2014-Jan