With just under a month to go before the 5th International Conference on Employer Engagement in Education and Training, here at Education and Employers we are focused on preparing for the event of the year. We’ve curated a packed schedule over the two days with speakers from around the world defining and debating how employer engagement and training relates to skills in the context of social mobility, the fourth industrial revolution and the future of the youth labour market.
At a time when the introduction of T-Levels for England is at risk of being delayed and the number of Apprenticeships available look like they will fall short of Government targets, helping employers to attract and retain talent with the skills they need has never been more critical.
And as the pace of change in the workplace accelerates, understanding the skills required for the jobs of the future has never been more difficult.
Organised with the support of the Edge Foundation, the conference will debate these issues and take an international perspective, drawing on the expertise of researchers, practitioners and policy makers.
Outcomes will look to influence and support Government policy; to ensure current and upcoming generations have brighter prospects at a time when the country is facing the biggest challenge for several generations. They will inform future academic thinking and influence career strategies which have the needs of business and the economy at their heart.
Day one will see introductions from a series of esteemed commentators in the field, including the CEO of Teach First, Russell Hobby, the president of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Carl Ward and the Associate Dean of University of Huddersfield, Professor Kevin Orr, before breaking into a series of workstreams around Employability Skills; Employer Engagement in Primary; School to Work Transitions and Governance. The afternoon programme will be packed with sessions on vocational education, in the UK and internationally, and employer engagement pathways.
The second day (6th July) will begin with an exciting keynote panel including Dr. Anthony Mann, Senior Policy Analyst, OECD, Sherry Coutu, CBE, Founders4Schools and Rt. Hon. David Laws, The Education Policy Institute, discussing the opportunity presented by the Government’s Industrial Strategy to form partnerships between education and business. This will be informed by influential research and data, with a focus on practical ways to directly impact future outcomes for young people.
Workstreams will then consider the Employer Perspective; International VET insights; the Youth Labour Market and The Future of Skills, before a wrap up from Olly Newton, Director of Policy and Research, Edge Foundation.
It will be a packed couple of days of important debate and insight which will re-focus our thinking on careers and a labour market fit for the future.
The 5th International Conference on Employer Engagement in Education and Training, 2018, will be held on 5th and 6th July, at The BEIS Conference Centre, London Westminster.
You can purchase tickets here.