City-REDI and Rose Regeneration Present Research on Rural Workforce Issues at the Parliamentary Launch of the National Centre for Rural Health and Care

On the 16th October 2018, City-REDI and Rose Regeneration presented their research at the Parliamentary Launch of the National Centre for Rural Health and Care. The two organisations were commissioned by Jan Sobieraj, Chief Executive of the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust to undertake work over the summer looking into rural workforce issues in health and care as part … Continue reading “City-REDI and Rose Regeneration Present Research on Rural Workforce Issues at the Parliamentary Launch of the National Centre for Rural Health and Care”

World Youth Skills Day: Fostering Learning, Earning and Progression

July 15th has been established by the United Nations as World Youth Skills Day. Given that young people are disproportionately likely to be unemployed or to be working in precarious and poor quality jobs, the idea of Youth World Skills Day is to draw attention to how young people can be inspired to develop their … Continue reading “World Youth Skills Day: Fostering Learning, Earning and Progression”

Raising productivity in low-wage sectors and reducing poverty

On 2nd May the Joseph Rowntree Foundation is holding a conference on Using the Industrial Strategy to support higher performance and wages in the retail and hospitality sectors. City-REDI’s Professor Anne Green and Dr Amir Qamar, along with Dr Paul Sissons and Dr Kevin Broughton at Coventry University, were commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation … Continue reading “Raising productivity in low-wage sectors and reducing poverty”

The issues facing workers today: ‘Good Work’, ‘Fulfilling Work’ and the ‘Fair Employment’ Agendas

Headline indicators of the state of the labour market in the UK today highlight employment at record levels. Data from the Labour Force Survey for the three months ending in February 2018 show that were 32.26 million people in work. This is 427,000 more than in the previous year. The employment rate (which measures the … Continue reading “The issues facing workers today: ‘Good Work’, ‘Fulfilling Work’ and the ‘Fair Employment’ Agendas”

How Key Workers can help young people progress towards work

This blog draws on work undertaken as part of the Big Lottery Fund Talent Match Evaluation and Learning Contract. The National Evaluation is led by CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University and the research on which this is based involves IER at the University of Warwick as well as City-REDI, University of Birmingham. The blog has been … Continue reading “How Key Workers can help young people progress towards work”

Women in Economic Development Research – Why the Woman’s Voice is Crucial: Part 4, View from an Experienced Researcher

City-REDI has published a series of blogs celebrating women in economic development and the contribution we make. They are inspired by the current experience of City-REDI which is pretty unusual in its numbers of women at all levels in the team; from senior management and leading academics, through to early career researchers and project support. … Continue reading “Women in Economic Development Research – Why the Woman’s Voice is Crucial: Part 4, View from an Experienced Researcher”

Helping achieve sustained employment outcomes through in-work support

This blog draws on work undertaken as part of the Big Lottery Fund Talent Match Evaluation and Learning Contract. The National Evaluation is led by CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University and the research on which this is based involves IER at the University of Warwick as well as City-REDI, University of Birmingham. The blog has been … Continue reading “Helping achieve sustained employment outcomes through in-work support”

Shaping apprenticeships to employer, economic and individual young people’s needs – does too much reform bring risks?

Apprenticeships have a long history in England. They have their roots in medieval craft guilds. Children went away to live with host families for the purpose of being taught the skills associated with a craft. The 1563 Statute of Artificers marked the first national system of apprenticeship training in England. The Statute required seven years … Continue reading “Shaping apprenticeships to employer, economic and individual young people’s needs – does too much reform bring risks?”

The Birmingham Economic Review 2017: Skills and Labour Market

The Birmingham Economic Review was produced in October 2017 by City-REDI, the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and the West Midlands Growth Company. The review highlights the current strengths and weakness of the Birmingham economy, as well as looking at the opportunities and threats that might impact upon it in the future. This is a commentary on Chapter 7 of … Continue reading “The Birmingham Economic Review 2017: Skills and Labour Market”

Growing and Aligning Demand and Supply of Skills for Inclusive Growth

A key challenge for the UK and its regions and cities is low productivity vis-à-vis competitors. Employers are not necessarily investing in capital: uncertainty is a key factor here. But employment levels are at historic highs at 75.3% in September 2017, with 32.14 million people in employment. Unemployment rates have fallen: a rate of 4.3%, the … Continue reading “Growing and Aligning Demand and Supply of Skills for Inclusive Growth”