Employers need to be able to recruit the right talent for their businesses, so that they can use employee potential efficiently. The government’s ‘Careers guidance action plan’ recommended that employers should work with the National Careers Service to achieve these ambitions. Recently published research, led by Professor Jenny Bimrose at the Institute for Employment Research, examined the need for greater levels of employers to work with schools, and the role of National Careers Service in fulfilling this need. One conclusion suggests that employer links not only inspire, inform and advise students about particular occupations and sectors, but also enhance the provision of careers and work-related education in the curriculum. Read the full report 'Understanding the link between employers and schools and the role of the National Careers Service' here.

This seminar, to be held on 28 November in London, will outline key findings from a mixed methods research study undertaken by a consortium of experts on the link between employers, schools and the National Careers Service, led by Warwick Institute for Employment (IER) on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.

Professor Jenny Bimrose and Dr Deirdre Hughes will present findings from the research that illustrates how employers are working and linking with schools/colleges in a variety of ways that bring significant benefit. They will share the outcomes from a systematic literature review, a survey of over 300 companies, data analysed from 78 schools and 20 colleges, including in-depth interviews and case-studies, 8 Prime Contractors from the National Careers Service and 23 interviews with senior leaders from education, business and the career development profession. The seminar will reflect on key findings and consider future options for the triangulation of education, employer and careers service working links. Findings indicate that a new paradigm shift is taking place, with the critical question for all of the actors involved being: ‘where next?’.

The seminar is free to attend but places are limited and must be booked in advance. To book a place please visit the Education and Employers Taskforce website.

Dr Lynn Gambin has been appointed as a Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Education Committee on the inquiry into Apprenticeships and traineeships for 16-19 year olds.

Lynn is involved in a programme of research on apprenticeships, skills and training at IER. Her research considers a variety of issues including: employers’ perspectives on training; the returns to training for employers and apprentices / trainees; employers’ responses funding arrangements for apprenticeships; and comparison of training and apprenticeship systems across Europe. Lynn has, with IER colleagues and external partners, carried out a number of relevant studies, including: a review of recent research into apprenticeships; a review of the methodological issues encountered in estimating the returns to different forms of learning and training; and, a review of the approaches underlying the current BIS estimates of the returns to different qualifications.

The Institute for Employment Research is offering two fully-funded PhD Studentships in association with the ESRC-funded project: Precarious pathways to employment for young people? Unpaid, temporary and involuntary part-time work in transitions from education to employment. The closing date for applications is Friday 5th September 2014.

 We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Charoula Tzanakou as Research Fellow on the ESRC-funded Precarious Pathways to Employment of Young People. Dr Tzanakou originally studied for an undergraduate degree in International European Studies at the Athens University of Business and Economics, followed immediately by an MA in European Institutions and Policymaking at Lancaster University. During her time there, she was selected by the European University Association to be a trainee and towards the end of her period of internship in Brussels, was offered a job as Project Officer. She then returned to academia as a PhD student at the Institute, supervised by Professors Kate Purcell and Robert Lindley, comparing the early career experiences of Greek PhD students in Natural Sciences and Engineering who had studied for their doctorates in UK and Greek universities, graduating in April 2012.

Since graduating, she has worked on as a part-time researcher at the Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) Research Centre at the University of Oxford, the IER and, in September 2013, was appointed as Research Fellow to work with Professor Alison Rodger, Professor of Biophysical Chemistry and Director of the MOAC Doctoral Training Centre in the Faculty of Analytical Sciences, as the co-ordinator and full-time researcher of a small ESRC-funded project on the under-representation and low retention of women in academic science careers.

IER and the project team look forward to welcoming Charoula in July.