CHAMBER NEWS Summit links work and education


The need to make sure young people get access to a wide range of employment opportunities was a key message to come out of the Chamber’s annual Employability and Skills Summit. Only by being able to access


work-related experiences while still in education can they hope to develop the skills employers need, thereby easing their transition from academia to the workplace and being better able to make informed career choices. But the problem of education-leavers not being equipped for the workplace is one that employers have been flagging for a number of years. Latest data collected as part of


the Chamber’s second Quarterly Economic Survey of the year shows that around two-thirds of employers looking to recruit were struggling to find suitably qualified or experienced applicants. Over 150 delegates attended the


recent summit, hosted by Chamber Strategic Partner Loughborough University. They heard from a range of


speakers from the Department for Education, Vodafone, the Institute of Apprenticeships, Careers and Enterprise Company and the East Midland Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, covering topics such as education and employer engagement, educational reform of apprenticeships, improving productivity through technology, the delivery of the new T-level qualifications and more. Focusing on the perennial


problem of finding suitable recruits, the summit looked for ways to challenge the status quo in education to ensure young people entering the workplace were appropriately skilled. This included looking at jobs today that didn’t exist five years ago and those that might exist in the future, particularly in the digital sector.


‘The general consensus was that employers and education providers are working towards the same goal, but they tend to talk a different language’


Throughout the summit, there


were calls for business to support apprenticeships, schools engagement through the Careers and Enterprise Company and the forthcoming T- levels. However, caution was the order of the day to ensure that these activities are not developed in isolation and there is consistency. “The general consensus was that


employers and education providers are working towards the same goal, but they tend to talk a different language,” said Ian Bates, the Chamber’s Sector Forums Manager.


He added: “This is something


that needs to be addressed when developing workforce strategies to bridge the gap between education and employment. Both sides face challenges but creating better understanding of those challenges will create better and sustainable working relationships.” Keynote speakers at the summit


included Jonathan Mitchell – Deputy Director, Standards Development, Institute for Apprenticeships, Sue Lovelock – Deputy Director, Technical


Education Implementation for T- levels, Mike Grogan – Head of East and East Midlands Region, Vodafone, David Hughes – Chair of East Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and Clare Hutchinson – Area Manager North, Careers and Enterprise Company. The summit also included a


series of workshops, panel discussions and exhibitions, all with an emphasis on creating action plans and lobbying priorities to find a solution to the perennial issue highlighted by business and education, in relation to access and delivery of a diverse, productive and skilled workforce.


To read feedback from the event see #EMCSkills2018 on Twitter.


Young people need more access to employment opportunities


Chamber reacts to guidance offered by the Home Office


Lucy Robinson


Commenting on the draft rules on the recently-published EU Settlement Scheme statement of intent by the Home Office, Lucy Robinson, Director of Resources at the Chamber, said: “Our members continue to tell us that they struggle to recruit staff with the right skills and qualifications for the jobs available. It is essential UK firms can recruit from as wide


an area as possible and, without hindrance, to be able to keep the staff they have. “The guidance will be welcomed


by employers and EU employees alike. It provides clear information on the status of EU nationals resident in the UK and those arriving now and during the transition period after March next year.


“Some UK businesses lost


European employees in the aftermath of the referendum because of the uncertainty they faced, so assurances now that they can stay are a positive step forward and we would urge all MPs to acknowledge the needs of business by supporting this latest move when it is laid before Parliament.”


business network July/August 2018 23


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