Whilst youth unemployment has fallen by 59,000 since the launch of the Youth Contract in April 2012, figures published last week by DWP show that the scheme has fallen substantially short of original targets. This flagship scheme has funding to pay 160,000 wage subsidies of £2275 to employers who recruit and retain an eligible young [...]
Two statements within the Government’s recent refresh of its skills strategy – Rigour and Responsiveness in Skills – jumped out at me: “If people are not able to achieve basic levels of English and maths, then they will struggle to find work of any kind.” “In a competitive global market, the skills needed by workers [...]
Good literacy and numeracy skills are crucial in helping Servicemen and women carry out their jobs and take advantage of the training and career opportunities on offer in the Armed Forces. This was the official line from the three-year Armed Forces Basic Skills Longitudinal Study by NIACE and NRDC, which was published back in June. [...]
