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IER newsletter - November 2015

 

This month...

- In Memoriam - WW Daniel
- News
- Events
- Publications
- New Projects

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In Memoriam

WW Daniel. Photo credit: The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/nov/10/ww-daniel#img-1W.W. Daniel, an Associate Fellow of IER for many years, has died after a long illness. W.W. Daniel – Bill to everyone who knew him – was one of Britain’s most prominent, outstanding and influential social scientists. Amongst his many achievements were those of creating the Workplace Employment Relations Surveys (WERS) series - possibly the most cited social surveys in the world - and carrying out the first, large-scale longitudinal survey of unemployed people in Britain (published as the Unemployed Flow). As well as WERS, he will be remembered for the pioneering study of Racial Disadvantage in England (Penguin, 1968) which had a decisive influence on the Race Relations Act of 1968.

Terence Hogarth, who worked with Bill for many years, said: “Bill was an outstanding social scientist who made a massive impact on so many aspects of working life in Britain. He was an inspiration to work alongside and he will be very much missed by all who knew him. But more than anything else he will be remembered as a generous, loyal, and courageous friend."

News

Ensuring quality and striving for continuous improvement

IER recently underwent a certificate renewal visit for Quality Management System Standard ISO9001, and was recommended for approval to re-certification to ISO9001 for a further 3 years. IER has developed a quality management system underpinning all aspects of management and research activities. This is certified by the Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) - the international quality management standard for organisations who want to evidence commitment to services that meet the needs of clients and other relevant stakeholders. A two-day independent ISO9001 review and assessment took place on 4 and 5 November 2015 investigating all aspects of IER's quality management system. IER is the first department of the University of Warwick to gain ISO9001 and for this to be re-certified in 2015 is recognition of our continuing high quality work. IER researchers are fully committed to the University of Warwick’s policy of advancing and safeguarding the highest academic and ethical standards in all its research activities.

For further information on IER's Quality Management System, contact our Administrator, Catherine Vassallo.

Appointment to Chair of Human Relations Editorial Management Committee

IER Director, Chris Warhurst, has been appointed as Chair of the Human Relations Journal’s Editorial Management Committee. Human Relations leads the field in multi-disciplinary thinking and research about human systems, organisations and wider social factors. It is among the top 7% of Business and Management journals and is in the Global Top 30 academic peer-reviewed social science publications.

Events

Seminar on employer skills surveys in Washington DC

Terence Hogarth was invited to the Inter-American Development Bank’s seminar on designing and implementing employer skills surveys held in Washington DC, 4 - 6 August 2015. He made a presentation reflecting upon his long experience of undertaking employers skills surveys.

Photo credit: Edge Foundation

Deirdre Hughes on work experience

Deirdre Hughes contributed as an expert Panel Member to the Edge Foundation Annual Lecture 2015 held in London on 13 October. A video summary of the Annual Lecture and panel discussion is available here.
Deirdre was also invited by FE Week to provide a 'think piece' based on her recent work on at least 100 hours experience of the world of work for all young people by the age of 16. See Deirdre's FE Week article here.

UKCES meeting in Glasgow

Deirdre Hughes attended an invitational Commissioners, policymakers and employers meeting on 13 October hosted by Sir Charlie Mayfield, Chair of John Lewis Partnership and Chair of the UK Commisison for Employment & Skills to discuss productivity, employment and skills challenges and opportunities for Scotland.

Anne Green interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Today

Anne Green was interviewed live on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on 15 October. She commented on key issues facing the regional economy, on skills shortages in manufacturing and on the age profile of the workforce. The interview with Anne followed a pre-recorded feature on developments at the University of Warwick in its fiftieth anniversary year, which included interviews with Professor Sir Nigel Thrift and Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman of WMG.

Challenges and solutions to employment flexibility and insecurity

Chris Warhurst gave a keynote talk on the challenges and solutions to employment flexibility and insecurity to the 5th Navigating the Changing World Of Work (NCWW) Flexwork Research Conference hosted by the Erasmus University in Rotterdam on 22-23 October. See the conference programme and further details.

LMI for All presentation at CDI conference

Deirdre Hughes and Sally-Anne Barnes gave a workshop entitled 'Perspectives on career development: LMI for All now and in the future on the LMI for All project at the Career Development Institute (CDI) conference in Cardiff on 9 - 10 November. The workshop focused on recent developments with the project in terms of new careers tools using the labour market information database and explored the future potential for more careers interfaces and app developments.

For more information go to the LMI for All website.
 

Publications

Book chapter on IER research on higher education

A chapter co-authored by a number of IER researchers has been published in a new book from the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE). The chapter, entitled 'Reassessing the employment outcomes of higher education', draws on research carried out at IER over the past 30 years, including the longitudinal Futuretrack study of students in higher education. The chapter concentrates on employment outcomes in the context of the expansion of higher education and the recent economic downturn and considers related issues including: students’ entry into employment; the jobs in which graduates are employed; the graduate wage premium; and the capacity of higher education to lever social mobility through those employment outcomes.

See: Behle, H., Atfield, G., Elias, P., Gambin, L., Green, A., Hogarth, T., Purcell, K., Tzanakou, C., and Warhurst, C. (2015) 'Reassessing the employment outcomes of higher education' in Case, J.M. and Huisman, J. (eds) Researching Higher Education: International perspectives on theory, policy and practice, Oxford: Routledge.


Paths2Work Blog - Youth unemployment and welfare benefits

Matthew Cooper, IER PhD researcher, has contributed to the Paths2Work series with a piece entitled 'Youth unemployment and entitlement to welfare benefits in the 1930s. Any lessons for 'the new austerity'. This blog and previous entries can be found here.

Wolverhampton Skills and Employment Commission

The Wolverhampton Skills and Employment Commission was set up by the Leader of Wolverhampton City Council to find solutions aimed at improving the City’s prospects for sustainable, long term economic growth and prosperity and ensure that the city’s residents can develop the skills to compete successfully for local job opportunities. The final report was launched on 1st October when IER’s Anne Green, as a member of the Commission, along with the Commission’s Chair, Professor Tony Travers from London School of Economics, presented key findings at the Annual Business Breakfast as part of Wolverhampton Business Week.

 

New Projects

Work-Life balance in the digital age network: 'Prolonging working life through ICT: the role of crowdsourcing' funded by EPRSRC

Greening TVET funded by UNESCO

Evidence and Impact Assessment Paper for DfE Minister responsible for careers policy funded by Careers England

For more information on these or any other IER projects please get in touch.

 
 
 
 
 
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