Good career guidance is critical if young people are to raise their aspirations and capitalise on the opportunities available to them. In 2013 we commissioned Sir John Holman to research what pragmatic actions could improve career guidance in England and subsequently he developed the Good Career Guidance Benchmarks.
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In late 2015 David Sainsbury was asked by government to chair a panel of experts that would provide clear recommendations for measures that would not only improve, but transform, technical education in England. The panel’s report was published alongside the government’s Post-16 Skills Plan in July 2016.
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Technicians are the linchpins of the UK economy. They are skilled people who use their science, engineering or technology knowledge to identify and solve practical problems. They are the electricians and plumbers that we all rely on, but they are also crucial to the success of many of our country’s future-growth areas, including the aerospace, chemical, digital, engineering and manufacturing industries.
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Once in secondary education, exposure to effective science and maths teaching delivered by teachers that are knowledgeable and passionate about their subject can be transformative. That is why we care about the supply and training of specialist teachers in these subjects.
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Good career guidance has never been more important. Changes in technology and in the labour market mean that increasing numbers of jobs require specific education and training, yet career guidance in English schools has often been criticised for being inadequate and patchy.
Technical education offers young people a clear route from school into rewarding technician occupations, and progression to higher education for those who wish to do so. The implementation of the Sainsbury Review recommendations will bring a step-change in the quality of technical education provision in England.
Reform to technical education is a key priority for Gatsby and its success is predicated on a fundamental shift in the public’s perception of and attitude towards technician jobs. Therefore, we undertake work to raise the profile of technicians and promote greater recognition of the importance of their contributions to modern society.
Many more young women could be interested in becoming engineering apprentices but for a lack of support and encouragement later in their school careers, according to a new report from the Gatsby Foundation and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Some 494,900 apprenticeships were started in England in 2016/17, 53% of them by women. Yet women accounted for just 8% of those starting apprenticeships in the engineering sector that year. Similarly in 2015/16, just 16% of students embarking on a first degree in engineering and technology were female. Over the past five years, the emphasis on attracting girls to technology and engineering has fo
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In August, the Department for Education (DfE) published an interim evidence overview as part of its ongoing Review of Level 4-5 education, referencing two recent Gatsby reports.
Following on from the Post-16 Skills Plan, the Government announced in October 2017 that it would be reviewing current Level 4-5 education with the ambition of reforming the system to deliver the skills employers and the economy need and to offer attractive routes to higher earning technical roles. The final proposals of the Review are due next year, ensuring that any reforms to Level 4-5 educatio
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