IER News & blogs

New report from the Institute for Employment Research at University of Warwick, commissioned by the Public Policy Institute for Wales, reviews the effectiveness of policies to tackle intergenerational worklessness and fragile employment. The research, Dr Daria Luchinskaya and Professor Anne Green, suggests that intergenerational worklessness is unlikely to be widespread in Wales. However, fragile employment – whereby individuals move repeatedly in and out of employment – is a significant problem for some households and in some communities. The report finds that a ‘Work First’ policy approach (aimed at enabling people to get into work) has had some success but many of the jobs that are secured are part-time, temporary, low skill and low paid. Read the report on the PPIW website.

Recent research undertaken by the Warwick Institute for Employment Research on the impact of changes to teachers’ pay on equality in schools in England commissioned by the NASUWT has been cited in the School Teacher's Review Body 26th Report. The research found that teachers with protected characteristics had been particularly disadvantaged by the approach taken by schools. NASUWT have expressed concern about widespread retrospective alteration of school pay policies and practice. Further research will be undertaken in the future to understand the impact of the changes to teachers’ pay in the long-term.

The Warwick Institute for Employment Research (IER) was commissioned by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Education to undertake a study to scope the need, reach and areas for policy and practice development for adult education concerning disadvantaged adults. This enquiry gathered the views of key stakeholders, partners and providers on their top priorities for adult learning in 2016 and over the next 5 - 10 years. The report will be launched today at the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Education Reception, ‘Closing the Learning Gap – Opening up Opportunities for Adults’. The report provides a full picture of the benefits of adult education for individuals, employers and communities focusing on what works well and what needs to be improved to make best use of the resources available for adult education, particularly in addressing the needs of those most disadvantaged in our society.

The research was led by Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE with Karen Adriaanse and Dr Sally-Anne Barnes.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has commissioned a piece of research by the Institute for Employment Research (IER) at the University of Warwick. HESA is leading a review to find out what future requirements there will be for data on the destinations and outcomes for students leaving HE. To help inform the Review, HESA wants to find out particular information from students and graduates and we would like to invite students and gradautes to participate in an online or face-to-face focus group.

The first face-to-face focus group will be held at the University of Warwick on 14 June at 3pm. All participants will receive £10 for their participation. Click here to find out more or sign up for this focus group or future online groups.

Lynn Gambin has been invited to provide evidence to the Select Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy for their inquiry into apprenticeships and the 'skills gap'. Lynn will appear before the committee along with other academic experts, apprenticeship training providers and the National Union of Students on 8th June at 2pm. For more information on the Committee's Inquiry and the evidence session, see http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-skills-and-economy/news-parliament-2015/apprenticeships-evidence-16-17/

Previously, Lynn served as Specialist Adviser to the Education Select Committee on its inquiry into Apprenticeships and Traineeships for 16-19 year old (see the Committee's report here).