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.
Learn More
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.
Learn More
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.
Learn More
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.
Learn More
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.
UCAS recently announced that a record 39.5% of 18-year olds in England applied to a degree course this year. So, what are the remaining 60.5% planning to do and what options are open to them?
Some will be deferring degree entry, but a large number will not progress to higher education even though they have the potential. If we want more of the population to gain the higher-level skills the economy needs, then we need to do much better with the opportunities we give those whose passions and ambitions are stimulated by the workplace. Hence the DfE's latest consultation: how do we build a
Read Article
The UK needs to recognise the importance of technicians in innovation to effectively take advantage of new manufacturing technologies, concludes a new report commissioned by the Gatsby Foundation and authored by Professor Paul Lewis, Department of Economics, King’s College London.
The research shows that technicians have practical and theoretical knowledge which allows them to make a direct and important contributions to both radical and incremental innovation. Technician experience of using and maintaining technology, means that they provide indispensable suggestions on how it can be improved, which drives the incremental innovation which is so crucial to the bottom line f
Read Article
