As we approach the end of the year, we wish a happy, safe and peaceful festive season to all our colleagues,
supporters and friends. We’re looking forward to continuing our work together in 2022. - From the whole team at L&W
A message from our chief executive
We end the year as we began it, with a new Covid wave as Omicron spreads. Hopefully the brilliant
vaccines mean the health impacts will be different to previous waves but there’s huge uncertainty that affects us all personally, as well as our economy, labour market and learning, skills and employment support.
It seems unlikely furlough will return, not least with the Treasury sceptical about targeting it on sectors - where do you draw the line? The Government’s also resisting more targeted support to firms in affected sectors.
There were T level announcements too – allowing more work placements to be virtual and reducing the requirement for students to have achieved a level 2 in English and maths. I understand the rationale but worry that we’re losing sight of what T levels are for
and how they sit in the wider context. In chasing higher numbers of T level enrolments are we going to lose what was meant to make them a ‘gold standard’?
The end of the year is also a time to reflect. I’m really proud of the achievements of the L&W team, which are helpfully summarised in our new impact report.
It will be another busy year ahead, so I hope you all have a peaceful and safe Christmas.
We have worked tirelessly since the outbreak of Covid to analyse its effects and identify solutions, shining a light on its social and economic impacts. Our new impact report looks at our work from 2020-21 highlighting people’s experiences, identifying future challenges, and influencing the policy response, with the Government’s Plan for Jobs picking up many of the changes we proposed.
Unemployment in Northern Ireland 60,000 more people would be in work if Northern Ireland’s employment rate matched the UK’s. Our new report with Open Colleges Network Northern Ireland explores the trends underlying this figure, analysing changes in unemployment in Northern Ireland and developing long-term
unemployment projections for the UK.
We are delighted to have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Open College Network and look forward to continuing to support OCN’s future work.
House of Lords report on Youth Unemployment builds on L&W evidence Since the outbreak of Covid, we’ve monitored the impact of the pandemic on young people and unemployment.Our Deputy Director Sam Avanzo Windett and Chief Executive Stephen Evans gave evidence to the House of Lord Youth Unemployment Committee, which last month published their findings.
Evidence from our reports exploring the scale of youth unemployment, its cost to the economy, and the implications for groups of disadvantaged young people, were cited. The full report, including over seventy recommendations, is available here.
Adult Learners’ Week Engagement Learning and Work Cymru celebrated their 30th Adult Learners’ Week in September - the campaign was
launched by Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language. Together with our partners we promoted over 500 online and in-person courses, resources and events from a broad range and learning and skills. We also awarded thirteen inspiring winners at our virtual online ceremony. A huge thank you to our campaign partners who engaged and supported the campaign this year. Here is a snapshot of our campaign activity.
Employability and Skills Wales Convention In November we were joined by key stakeholders and speakers across the sector for our annual employment and skills convention, to discuss and reflect on the labour market challenges facing Wales as a result of the last eighteen months and how to build a greener and fairer economy that's fit for the future. We were joined by Minister for Economy Vaughan Gething for the keynote speech.Watch the
convention.
Nominations open for Festival of Learning 2022 Nominations are now
open for next year’s Festival of Learning awards and we want to hear from you! If you know of any inspiring learners, tutors, learning provision or exemplary workplace learning in England, nominate them for a Festival of Learning award. You have until Tuesday 1 February 2021.
Events
Sharing Prosperity: Housing, Learning and Work Conference Wednesday 23 February | 9.30am – 12.45pm Through L&W and Communities that Work's partnership event, we are bringing together experts to explore the role of employment support, skills and housing in empowering communities. We will consider how we can better join up across the sectors to ensure people get the support they need to be socially included, find a job, build their skills and get on at work.We’ll also be exploring the Shared Prosperity Fund and what the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda means in practice. Find out more and book your free place here.
