a post by Hannah Slaughter for the Resolution Foundation blog
We’re starting to see signs that the slowing economy may now be feeding through to the labour market. Even as GDP growth has faltered in recent months, and with Brexit uncertainty ramped up and productivity stagnant, the labour market had remained strong. The employment rate had reached a record high, with pay growth improving.
And at first glance, the headline statistics out today [12 November 2019] show a strong labour market continuing to defy economic uncertainty, with employment remaining high and unemployment and inactivity rates stable. But there are signs that the jobs market is catching up with the wider economic trends. Today’s data shows the highest quarterly fall in employment since May 2015. Jobs growth is tailing off, and pay growth is weakening.
Continue reading
Showing posts with label labour_market_information. Show all posts
Showing posts with label labour_market_information. Show all posts
Friday, 15 November 2019
Monday, 8 April 2019
The online job vacancy market in the EU: Driving forces and emerging trends
With the project Real-time labour market information on skill requirements: setting up the EU system for online vacancy analysis, Cedefop is using online job vacancies to develop real-time labour market and skills intelligence in the EU.
Drawing meaningful conclusions from these data and turning them into policy-relevant labour market intelligence requires sound understanding of online job markets and their importance in employers’ recruitment strategies. The mapping of the online job portal landscape in all EU Member States presented in this report helps identify the main features of online job markets and signal important trends impacting them.
The report analyses the drivers influencing the use of online job vacancy portals in recruitment and job search, the structure of the online job markets, the role of public and private players and the factors shaping the format and content of online job vacancies.
Full report (PDF 96pp)
Drawing meaningful conclusions from these data and turning them into policy-relevant labour market intelligence requires sound understanding of online job markets and their importance in employers’ recruitment strategies. The mapping of the online job portal landscape in all EU Member States presented in this report helps identify the main features of online job markets and signal important trends impacting them.
The report analyses the drivers influencing the use of online job vacancy portals in recruitment and job search, the structure of the online job markets, the role of public and private players and the factors shaping the format and content of online job vacancies.
Full report (PDF 96pp)
Monday, 10 December 2018
Good jobs for all in a changing world of work: The new OECD Jobs Strategy
How does the United Kingdom compare?
The digital revolution, globalisation and demographic changes are transforming labour markets at a time when policy makers are also struggling with slow productivity and wage growth and high levels of income inequality. The new OECD Jobs Strategy provides a comprehensive framework and policy recommendations to help countries address these challenges. It goes well beyond job quantity and considers job quality and inclusiveness as central policy priorities, while emphasising the importance of resilience and adaptability for good economic and labour market performance in a rapidly changing world of work.
Full text of the OECD press release (PDF 2pp) with links to the main publication.
The digital revolution, globalisation and demographic changes are transforming labour markets at a time when policy makers are also struggling with slow productivity and wage growth and high levels of income inequality. The new OECD Jobs Strategy provides a comprehensive framework and policy recommendations to help countries address these challenges. It goes well beyond job quantity and considers job quality and inclusiveness as central policy priorities, while emphasising the importance of resilience and adaptability for good economic and labour market performance in a rapidly changing world of work.
Full text of the OECD press release (PDF 2pp) with links to the main publication.
Friday, 7 December 2018
We must not ignore plight of low-paid men as once we ignored that of working women
a newspaper article by Paul Johnson published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies [via South West Skills Newsletter]
On average, women earn about 20 per cent less per hour worked than men. This persistent gap has, unsurprisingly, driven a lot of political concern, not to say outrage. It has also led to an increasing amount of research that is throwing a much clearer light on what is happening, if not on how to fix the problem.
We know that the wage gap is particularly associated with what happens in the labour market after women become mothers. They often spend some time out of work and, more importantly, often return to work part-time. In Britain, part-time work is heavily penalised. Women also tend to reduce their commuting times after they become mothers, giving them less choice of jobs and employers.
Men, on the whole, do not move to part-time work or reduce their commutes after they become fathers. Choices made within the family unit and choices made by employers over how they pay and promote those who work part-time or limited hours both matter enormously.
Continue reading
On average, women earn about 20 per cent less per hour worked than men. This persistent gap has, unsurprisingly, driven a lot of political concern, not to say outrage. It has also led to an increasing amount of research that is throwing a much clearer light on what is happening, if not on how to fix the problem.
We know that the wage gap is particularly associated with what happens in the labour market after women become mothers. They often spend some time out of work and, more importantly, often return to work part-time. In Britain, part-time work is heavily penalised. Women also tend to reduce their commuting times after they become mothers, giving them less choice of jobs and employers.
Men, on the whole, do not move to part-time work or reduce their commutes after they become fathers. Choices made within the family unit and choices made by employers over how they pay and promote those who work part-time or limited hours both matter enormously.
Continue reading
Thursday, 18 October 2018
Adult social care jobs vacancies rise to 110,000 in England
an article by Lee Peart for Care Home Professional [via Angela Gifford with thanks]
Main points
Full text (HTML)
Main points
- A quarter of the social care workforce (335,000 jobs) were on zero hours contracts in 2017/18.
- Turnover stood at 30.7%, equivalent to around 390,000 leavers, although many of these people moved on to roles within the sector.
- The majority (83%) of the workforce was British, with EU nationals accounting for 8% of the workforce (104,000 jobs) and non-EU nationals 10% (1,300,000 jobs)
Full text (HTML)
Saturday, 3 February 2018
Reading the runes on Britain’s labour market
a post by Stephen Clarke for the Resolution Foundation blog
The UK labour market has shifted into different gears over the last decade. The first – and most dramatic – move happened early in 2009 when real pay began to fall for the first time in decades. Early in 2012 the jobs market bottomed out and five years of nearly uninterrupted employment growth began. 2015 saw real growth pick up for the first time in half a decade, while 2017 saw the return of the pay squeeze. Are we seeing the beginnings of another such shift?
Predicting such shifts are hard. To do so one must pick through a plethora of indicators and decide what (to borrow Nate Silver’s dichotomy) is signal and what is noise. Today’s labour market statistics offered up a bit of both.
First the noise. Employment increased by around 100,000 meaning that the country returned to its record high employment rate. On the face of it this may suggest that expectations of a slowdown in jobs growth are wrong. However a look at the single month employment figures suggest it may be too soon to dismiss the idea that employment has plateaued. The chart below compares how the headline rate and the single month rate change month-to-month. Two things stand out. The first is that the monthly figure varies a lot more. The second is that the variation in the monthly figure has increased over the past year. Strip away this noise and the monthly rate could revert to the mean next month, bringing the headline rate back down again.
Continue reading
Some very interesting graphical representations which will help the non-statistician to understand where at least one expert thinks the UK labour market is going.
The UK labour market has shifted into different gears over the last decade. The first – and most dramatic – move happened early in 2009 when real pay began to fall for the first time in decades. Early in 2012 the jobs market bottomed out and five years of nearly uninterrupted employment growth began. 2015 saw real growth pick up for the first time in half a decade, while 2017 saw the return of the pay squeeze. Are we seeing the beginnings of another such shift?
Predicting such shifts are hard. To do so one must pick through a plethora of indicators and decide what (to borrow Nate Silver’s dichotomy) is signal and what is noise. Today’s labour market statistics offered up a bit of both.
First the noise. Employment increased by around 100,000 meaning that the country returned to its record high employment rate. On the face of it this may suggest that expectations of a slowdown in jobs growth are wrong. However a look at the single month employment figures suggest it may be too soon to dismiss the idea that employment has plateaued. The chart below compares how the headline rate and the single month rate change month-to-month. Two things stand out. The first is that the monthly figure varies a lot more. The second is that the variation in the monthly figure has increased over the past year. Strip away this noise and the monthly rate could revert to the mean next month, bringing the headline rate back down again.
Continue reading
Some very interesting graphical representations which will help the non-statistician to understand where at least one expert thinks the UK labour market is going.
Thursday, 9 November 2017
The national living wage has caused the biggest fall in low pay in 40 years – but how is this improving people’s living standards?
a post by George Bangham for the Resolution Foundation blog
Employment is at a 40-year high, while pay is stagnating. That, in brief, sums up the last few years of changes in Britain’s labour market.
But the good news on employment has failed drastically to translate into a pay rise. A new squeeze on Britain’s median pay began in February 2017 – as Figure 2 shows – ending 27 consecutive months of real pay growth. This was due mainly to the late-2016 rise in inflation, attributable mainly to the weaker post-referendum pound, which pushed real pay down year-on-year despite nominal pay growth consistently topping 2% since early 2015. Newly-released October 2017 data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings confirms that the new pay squeeze turns up in HMRC data too. Most observers don’t expect inflation to persist at its current level throughout 2018, as the effects of currency devaluation ‘pass through’, so today’s pay squeeze should change course in 2018. But with nominal wage rises still far below pre-crisis levels there are few signs that Britain can expect broad-based wage growth in the near future.
Continue reading there are several interesting graphs which make the problem very clear.
Employment is at a 40-year high, while pay is stagnating. That, in brief, sums up the last few years of changes in Britain’s labour market.
But the good news on employment has failed drastically to translate into a pay rise. A new squeeze on Britain’s median pay began in February 2017 – as Figure 2 shows – ending 27 consecutive months of real pay growth. This was due mainly to the late-2016 rise in inflation, attributable mainly to the weaker post-referendum pound, which pushed real pay down year-on-year despite nominal pay growth consistently topping 2% since early 2015. Newly-released October 2017 data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings confirms that the new pay squeeze turns up in HMRC data too. Most observers don’t expect inflation to persist at its current level throughout 2018, as the effects of currency devaluation ‘pass through’, so today’s pay squeeze should change course in 2018. But with nominal wage rises still far below pre-crisis levels there are few signs that Britain can expect broad-based wage growth in the near future.
Continue reading there are several interesting graphs which make the problem very clear.
Sunday, 2 July 2017
Election 2017: What jobs do UK workers actually do?
A blog post by Laura Gardiner for Resolution Foundation which has more to do with the labour market than that election!
Politicians of all parties spend election campaigns fighting for the votes of what they call “ordinary” or “hardworking” people.
And with record numbers of people in work in the UK, there are more of us that fit into that category than ever before.
But what exactly do the UK’s workers do and what might be on their minds when they head out to vote?
Continue reading
Politicians of all parties spend election campaigns fighting for the votes of what they call “ordinary” or “hardworking” people.
And with record numbers of people in work in the UK, there are more of us that fit into that category than ever before.
But what exactly do the UK’s workers do and what might be on their minds when they head out to vote?
Continue reading
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Labour costs in the EU
Eurostat news release 58/2017 - 6 April 2017
Hourly labour costs ranged from €4.4 to €42.0 across the EU Member States in 2016
Lowest in Bulgaria and Romania, highest in Denmark and Belgium
In 2016, average hourly labour costs in the whole economy (excluding agriculture and public administration) were estimated to be €25.4 in the European Union (EU) and €29.8 in the euro area. However, this average masks significant gaps between EU Member States, with the lowest hourly labour costs recorded in Bulgaria (€4.4), Romania (€5.5), Lithuania (€7.3), Latvia (€7.5), Hungary (€8.3) and Poland (€8.6), and the highest in Denmark (€42.0), Belgium (€39.2), Sweden (€38.0), Luxembourg (€36.6) and France (€35.6).
In industry, labour costs per hour were €26.6 in the EU and €32.6 in the euro area, in services €25.8 and €28.7 respectively and in construction €23.3 and €26.1. In the mainly non-business economy (excluding public administration), labour costs per hour were €26.6 in the EU and €29.7 in the euro area in 2016.
Labour costs are made up of wages & salaries and non-wage costs such as employers' social contributions. The share of non-wage costs in the whole economy was 23.9% in the EU and 26.0% in the euro area, ranging from 6.6% in Malta to 33.2% in France.
These estimates for 2016 come from an article issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Data cover enterprises with 10 or more employees and are based on the Labour Cost Survey data for 2012, which are extrapolated through the Labour Cost Index.
Continue reading
Hourly labour costs ranged from €4.4 to €42.0 across the EU Member States in 2016
Lowest in Bulgaria and Romania, highest in Denmark and Belgium
In 2016, average hourly labour costs in the whole economy (excluding agriculture and public administration) were estimated to be €25.4 in the European Union (EU) and €29.8 in the euro area. However, this average masks significant gaps between EU Member States, with the lowest hourly labour costs recorded in Bulgaria (€4.4), Romania (€5.5), Lithuania (€7.3), Latvia (€7.5), Hungary (€8.3) and Poland (€8.6), and the highest in Denmark (€42.0), Belgium (€39.2), Sweden (€38.0), Luxembourg (€36.6) and France (€35.6).
In industry, labour costs per hour were €26.6 in the EU and €32.6 in the euro area, in services €25.8 and €28.7 respectively and in construction €23.3 and €26.1. In the mainly non-business economy (excluding public administration), labour costs per hour were €26.6 in the EU and €29.7 in the euro area in 2016.
Labour costs are made up of wages & salaries and non-wage costs such as employers' social contributions. The share of non-wage costs in the whole economy was 23.9% in the EU and 26.0% in the euro area, ranging from 6.6% in Malta to 33.2% in France.
These estimates for 2016 come from an article issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Data cover enterprises with 10 or more employees and are based on the Labour Cost Survey data for 2012, which are extrapolated through the Labour Cost Index.
Continue reading
Monday, 27 March 2017
National and local labour force projections for the UK
an article by Ludi Simpson (University of Manchester, UK) published in Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit Volume 32 Issue 2 (March 2017)
Abstract
Labour force forecasts are required by local planning, legally guided in the UK by regulations on land use. Methods of forecasting the labour force, and data available for UK practice, are reviewed here.
A best strategy for sub-national forecasts of the labour supply is found empirically to involve an accurate national forecast with a local starting point. Key trends are the decreasing economic activity of young adults, the increasing activity of older adults and the impact of changing state pension age.
However, there exists neither an acceptable national forecast of economic activity nor a standard approach to local forecasts. Software for implementation of sub-national forecasts is described, and six types of scenarios are listed to aid local planning, which reflect uncertainty about current trends and the impact of changes in policy.
Research and development of forecasting the national and the local labour force is urgently needed.
Abstract
Labour force forecasts are required by local planning, legally guided in the UK by regulations on land use. Methods of forecasting the labour force, and data available for UK practice, are reviewed here.
A best strategy for sub-national forecasts of the labour supply is found empirically to involve an accurate national forecast with a local starting point. Key trends are the decreasing economic activity of young adults, the increasing activity of older adults and the impact of changing state pension age.
However, there exists neither an acceptable national forecast of economic activity nor a standard approach to local forecasts. Software for implementation of sub-national forecasts is described, and six types of scenarios are listed to aid local planning, which reflect uncertainty about current trends and the impact of changes in policy.
Research and development of forecasting the national and the local labour force is urgently needed.
Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Euro area unemployment at 9.8%
Eurostat news release 4/2017 on 9 January 2017
The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 9.8% in November 2016, stable compared to October 2016 and down from 10.5% in November 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since July 2009. The EU28 unemployment rate was 8.3% in November 2016, down from 8.4% in October 2016 and from 9.0% in November 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since February 2009. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Eurostat estimates that 20.429 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 15.898 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in November 2016. Compared with October 2016, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 41 000 in the EU28 and by 15 000 in the euro area. Compared with November 2015, unemployment fell by 1.552 million in the EU28 and by 972 000 in the euro area.
Full text (PDF 6pp)
The euro area (EA19) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 9.8% in November 2016, stable compared to October 2016 and down from 10.5% in November 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the euro area since July 2009. The EU28 unemployment rate was 8.3% in November 2016, down from 8.4% in October 2016 and from 9.0% in November 2015. This is the lowest rate recorded in the EU28 since February 2009. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Eurostat estimates that 20.429 million men and women in the EU28, of whom 15.898 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in November 2016. Compared with October 2016, the number of persons unemployed decreased by 41 000 in the EU28 and by 15 000 in the euro area. Compared with November 2015, unemployment fell by 1.552 million in the EU28 and by 972 000 in the euro area.
Full text (PDF 6pp)
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Which industries are most likely to demand a 2:1 or better?
Charlie Ball’s blog post on this issue is sufficiently concise to make creating a précis very difficult.
I will, therefore, provide you with the link and leave the reading up to you.
The View from HECSU
I will, therefore, provide you with the link and leave the reading up to you.
The View from HECSU
Friday, 11 July 2014
The Cyclical Behavior of Labor Productivity and the Emergence of the Labor Hoarding Concept
an article by Jeff E Biddle (Michigan State University) published in Journal of Economic Perspectives Volume 28 Number 2 (Spring 2014)
Abstract
The concept of “labour hoarding”, at least in its modern form, was first fully articulated in the early 1960s by Arthur Okun (1963). By the end of the 20th century, the concept of “labour hoarding” had become an accepted part of economists’ explanations of the workings of labour markets and of the relationship between labour productivity and economic fluctuations. The emergence of this concept involved the conjunction of three key elements:
As a final twist to the story, the long-standing positive relationship between labour productivity and output in the US economy began to disappear in the late 1980s; and during the Great Recession, labour productivity rose while the economy contracted.
Full-text Article (Complimentary)
JEL Classifications: B22, E24, E32, J24
Abstract
The concept of “labour hoarding”, at least in its modern form, was first fully articulated in the early 1960s by Arthur Okun (1963). By the end of the 20th century, the concept of “labour hoarding” had become an accepted part of economists’ explanations of the workings of labour markets and of the relationship between labour productivity and economic fluctuations. The emergence of this concept involved the conjunction of three key elements:
- the fact that measured labour productivity was found to be procyclical, rising during expansions and falling during contractions;
- a perceived contradiction with the theory of the neoclassical firm in a competitive economy; and
- a possible explanation based on optimising behaviour on the part of firms.
As a final twist to the story, the long-standing positive relationship between labour productivity and output in the US economy began to disappear in the late 1980s; and during the Great Recession, labour productivity rose while the economy contracted.
Full-text Article (Complimentary)
JEL Classifications: B22, E24, E32, J24
Monday, 3 March 2014
Skills anticipation—The future of work and education
an article by Rob Wilson (University of Warwick, UK) published in International Journal of Educational Research Volume 61 (2013)
Highlights
Skills are frequently advocated as a panacea for economic and social ills, and anticipation of changing skill needs is seen as playing a key role in ensuring education and training delivers the right skills. Although mechanistic “manpower planning” of education and training systems from the top down is not a practical possibility in free market economies systematic efforts to peer into the future can help both policy makers and individuals to make better informed choices.
There are huge uncertainties, but many trends and patterns are robust. Education is not just about preparing people for work but also about changing the path of economic development.
Decisions about education by both policy makers and individuals will influence how the future will unfold.
Highlights
- Skills are key to improving economic performance at individual and macro levels.
- Education and training is the key to improving skills.
- Projections can help ensure education and training delivers the right skills.
- Systematic anticipation of the future can help inform career choices and decisions.
- But education is not just about preparing people for work.
Skills are frequently advocated as a panacea for economic and social ills, and anticipation of changing skill needs is seen as playing a key role in ensuring education and training delivers the right skills. Although mechanistic “manpower planning” of education and training systems from the top down is not a practical possibility in free market economies systematic efforts to peer into the future can help both policy makers and individuals to make better informed choices.
There are huge uncertainties, but many trends and patterns are robust. Education is not just about preparing people for work but also about changing the path of economic development.
Decisions about education by both policy makers and individuals will influence how the future will unfold.
Monday, 15 July 2013
Second Career Labour Markets: Assessing Challenges – Advancing Policies
a research paper from Bertelsmann Stiftung (Germany) and European Policy Centre (Brussels)
Laura Naegele, Eric Thode and Claire Dhéret named as responsible
Executive summary (introduction)
Europe’s population is ageing and its workforce is continuously shrinking. At the same time people live longer and they are healthier and fitter which allows them to participate in society and the labour market far beyond their 60’s. In order to secure growth prospects and innovation within the EU, labour market integration of older workers is imperative and recent years have shown that more and more retirees keep engaged in the labour market. Although all-over conditions seem to be favourable, existing barriers and disincentives still hamper employment prospects of older workers often resulting in premature withdrawal from the labour force.
While the assessment of the situation appears to be quite clear, a considerable number of questions still exist when it comes to encouraging older workers to stay in the labour market, on the one hand, and to adjusting European labour markets in order to facilitate longer decent working lives, on the other:
How should labour market institutions be reshaped in order to provide easier access to employment?
How can enterprises and social partners contribute to enhancing employment opportunities for older workers?
And how can workers themselves take more initiative to maintain and improve their employability?
This study addresses these questions by assessing the current challenges faced by older workers and putting forward policy recommendations on four distinct levels comprising government, social partners, enterprises as well as individuals. Building upon the most recent research findings and the expertise of a task force of renowned experts this research does not claim to offer a “one-size-fits-all” strategy for all EU Member States. Complemented by a series of best practice case studies the assessments and proposals found herein are rather to be taken as general principles policy makers across Europe should take into consideration when adapting to the predominant challenges presented to older workers in their respective Member States.
Full text (PDF 64pp) with lots of very clear graphs and charts which made it, for me, very easy to understand!
Executive summary (introduction)
Europe’s population is ageing and its workforce is continuously shrinking. At the same time people live longer and they are healthier and fitter which allows them to participate in society and the labour market far beyond their 60’s. In order to secure growth prospects and innovation within the EU, labour market integration of older workers is imperative and recent years have shown that more and more retirees keep engaged in the labour market. Although all-over conditions seem to be favourable, existing barriers and disincentives still hamper employment prospects of older workers often resulting in premature withdrawal from the labour force.
While the assessment of the situation appears to be quite clear, a considerable number of questions still exist when it comes to encouraging older workers to stay in the labour market, on the one hand, and to adjusting European labour markets in order to facilitate longer decent working lives, on the other:
How should labour market institutions be reshaped in order to provide easier access to employment?
How can enterprises and social partners contribute to enhancing employment opportunities for older workers?
And how can workers themselves take more initiative to maintain and improve their employability?
This study addresses these questions by assessing the current challenges faced by older workers and putting forward policy recommendations on four distinct levels comprising government, social partners, enterprises as well as individuals. Building upon the most recent research findings and the expertise of a task force of renowned experts this research does not claim to offer a “one-size-fits-all” strategy for all EU Member States. Complemented by a series of best practice case studies the assessments and proposals found herein are rather to be taken as general principles policy makers across Europe should take into consideration when adapting to the predominant challenges presented to older workers in their respective Member States.
Full text (PDF 64pp) with lots of very clear graphs and charts which made it, for me, very easy to understand!
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
A Matter of Time: The rise of zero-hours contracts
a research paper by Matthew Pennycook, Vidhya Alakeson and Giselle Cory for the Resolution Foundation published June 2013
Abstract
“Zero-hours” (or occasionally “nil hours”) contracts are anything but a new phenomenon. Employment contracts of this kind have been around for many years. Yet the use of zero-hours contracts has risen sharply in recent years. According to the Office for National Statistics the number of people employed on zero-hours contracts rose from 134,000 in 2006 (0.5 per cent of the workforce) to 208,000 (0.7 per cent) in 2012.
While the clear upward trend is not in dispute there are reasons to believe that these headline figures are a substantial under-estimate of the true scale of the use of zero-hours contracts across the UK.
It is not hard to see why zero-hours contracts can appear attractive to employers. They allow for maximum flexibility to meet changing demand. They can facilitate the management of risk, reduce the costs of recruitment and training, and they can, in certain circumstances, enable employers to avoid particular employment obligations. Yet it is clear that the benefits these contracts provide for employers come at too high a price for the majority of those employed on them.
Full text (PDF 22pp)
Abstract
“Zero-hours” (or occasionally “nil hours”) contracts are anything but a new phenomenon. Employment contracts of this kind have been around for many years. Yet the use of zero-hours contracts has risen sharply in recent years. According to the Office for National Statistics the number of people employed on zero-hours contracts rose from 134,000 in 2006 (0.5 per cent of the workforce) to 208,000 (0.7 per cent) in 2012.
While the clear upward trend is not in dispute there are reasons to believe that these headline figures are a substantial under-estimate of the true scale of the use of zero-hours contracts across the UK.
It is not hard to see why zero-hours contracts can appear attractive to employers. They allow for maximum flexibility to meet changing demand. They can facilitate the management of risk, reduce the costs of recruitment and training, and they can, in certain circumstances, enable employers to avoid particular employment obligations. Yet it is clear that the benefits these contracts provide for employers come at too high a price for the majority of those employed on them.
Full text (PDF 22pp)
Tuesday, 2 July 2013
Jigsaw pieces
Charlie Ball's blog post for HECSU
The High Fliers survey of employers, The Graduate Market in 2013, is out this morning [1 July 2013].
The report follows the usual pattern – it’s a very good examination of a small group of influential, London employers with large graduate training schemes, and so is very good if you’re interested in that sort of job. It’s not very good either if you’re not interested in that kind of role, and nor is it very good at examining the UK graduate jobs market as it is actually experienced by all but a small minority of graduates.
Predictably, national media reporting focuses on a reports of £29k starting salaries – the average graduate starting salary is not £29k, it’s £20k, as HESA showed us last week with their far larger and more representative destination data.
Continue reading
The High Fliers survey of employers, The Graduate Market in 2013, is out this morning [1 July 2013].
The report follows the usual pattern – it’s a very good examination of a small group of influential, London employers with large graduate training schemes, and so is very good if you’re interested in that sort of job. It’s not very good either if you’re not interested in that kind of role, and nor is it very good at examining the UK graduate jobs market as it is actually experienced by all but a small minority of graduates.
Predictably, national media reporting focuses on a reports of £29k starting salaries – the average graduate starting salary is not £29k, it’s £20k, as HESA showed us last week with their far larger and more representative destination data.
Continue reading
Monday, 10 June 2013
LMI for All
The UK Commission has released the first pilot version of LMI for All, an online data portal which brings together existing labour market information. It aims to support individuals and businesses to make better and more informed decisions about careers and learning options.
Continue reading
Continue reading
Friday, 7 June 2013
170 years of industrial change
Stolen, in its entirety, from Charlie Ball’s post on the HECSU blog
The ONS has released analysis from the Census examining 170 years of industrial change across England and Wales.
It’s one of the most interesting things I’ve read in ages. There is no need to summarise it here - it’s done elegantly enough over there.
If you’re looking for a stark reminder of how much industry changes, and for a clear rationale for increased HE participation, or just to look at how interesting data can be, get over there right now. We’ll wait.
Wonderful stuff. Thanks.
The ONS has released analysis from the Census examining 170 years of industrial change across England and Wales.
It’s one of the most interesting things I’ve read in ages. There is no need to summarise it here - it’s done elegantly enough over there.
If you’re looking for a stark reminder of how much industry changes, and for a clear rationale for increased HE participation, or just to look at how interesting data can be, get over there right now. We’ll wait.
Wonderful stuff. Thanks.
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Graduate earnings premium 'drops by a third' in 20 years
via Telegraph Education by Graeme Paton
The value of a degree has slumped by almost a third in the last 20 years because of a sharp rise in the number of people taking university courses, according to research.
Continue reading
Hazel’s comment:
Are we supposed to be surprised by this?
The value of a degree has slumped by almost a third in the last 20 years because of a sharp rise in the number of people taking university courses, according to research.
Continue reading
Hazel’s comment:
Are we supposed to be surprised by this?
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