Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) has launched its biggest apprenticeship recruitment campaign to date. Twenty apprentices were taken on last year; it is hoped to recruit twice that number in September 2011!
Wednesday 4 May 2011
Concern at the numbers taking sciences
Ina recent article from the Guardian (15.02.2011), the education editor, Jeevan Vasagar, describes how the Royal Society is calling for A-levels to be overhauled to tackle the declining number of teenagers studying sciences.
Resources and downloads
The Guardian newspaper is embarking on an exciting new project that will give teachers access to 70,000 pages of lesson plans and modern interactive teaching materials, absolutely free. From Saturday 15.02.2011 any teacher can access the vast repository of free resources read more
Higher Education News
The education section of Monday's Irish News (14.02.2011) carried a report from the Committee for Employment and Learning that stated that options for funding higher education must take account of local needs.
The review of student finance, chaired by Joanne Stuart, recommended that the cap on university tuition fees should increase to £5750 a year. Fees would only have to be paid after graduation when the student is earning £21,000 a year.
The review of student finance, chaired by Joanne Stuart, recommended that the cap on university tuition fees should increase to £5750 a year. Fees would only have to be paid after graduation when the student is earning £21,000 a year.
Northern Ireland - two potential areas to consider for job opportunities
While many still remain sceptical about climate change, evidence points to rising world temperatures. The renewable energy sector is arguably the way forward and some of Northern Ireland's more innovative firms have realised this and are focusing their attention on what could become a huge industry.
The ageing workforce in sectors such as transport and logistics and the lack of new blood coming into these industries is impacting heavily on the UK's ability to compete globally.
The ageing workforce in sectors such as transport and logistics and the lack of new blood coming into these industries is impacting heavily on the UK's ability to compete globally.
Profiling Foundation degree courses
Foundation Degree Forward (FDF) has responsibility for raising the profile of foundation degrees among the business and student communities. FDF works closely with key employers and the higher education sector in helping them forge mutually beneficial working partnerships. Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), FDF was established in NI just four years ago.
Vocational or Academic?
Writing in the Guardian (8th March 2011), Tom Bewick, chief executive, Enterprise UK, commenting on the recent Wolf review of vocational education is critical that the report fails to emphasise sufficently that in today's world young people do not need an either or approach to their education - academic or vocational - they need both!
Monday 14 February 2011
Universities will be 'critical' to the health of economies in the UK's regions
Universities will be 'critical' to the health of economies in the UK's regions
Universities will be 'critical' to the health of economies in the UK's regions as the country moves through the economic downturn, according to the largest study of the impact of universities.
The findings of the three year, £3 million study, which is being co-ordinated by Ursula Kelly and Peter McGregor of the University of Strathclyde, was discussed by leading figures in education at a two-day conference in Edinburgh which took place on Tuesday 16 November.
More resources and downloads
Martin Hutchinson, National Manager for NI Institute of Motor Industry recently contacted me regarding information on the Headlights programme. Martin informs me that he can obtain the sponsorship to have prizes for the top NI teams (up to £1000 worth) if I could get at least 20 teams to enter. I'm counting on you either to include the competition as an opportunity for enterprise activity within the careers education class, or should you wish, pass it on to one of your colleagues in the school.read more
The North is the lowest paid UK region!
The UK's gender pay gap has fallen by nearly one per cent to 15.5% based on average earning of full time workers. Northern Ireland remains the lowest paid of any region. For while median weekly earnings for all full time workers was £499 (with men earning £538 compared with £439 for women ), unsurprisingly, the figure was highest for London, while NI was lowest at £441.
Future skills needs of the economy
Just before Christmas the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) launched its report into future skills need of enterprise within the Green Economy. The fast growing Green Economy has been identified as an area where Ireland has potential for growth. The study identifies the future skills needs of enterprise to capitalise on the green economy in Ireland and proposes a range of measures to ensure that their future skills base will drive business and employment growth.
Some six sub sectors were identified as having business and employment growth. These include; renewable energies; efficient energy use and management; water and wasre water treatment; waste management, recovery and recycling; environmental and consultancy services; green ICT applications and software.
Some six sub sectors were identified as having business and employment growth. These include; renewable energies; efficient energy use and management; water and wasre water treatment; waste management, recovery and recycling; environmental and consultancy services; green ICT applications and software.
Raising the status of Apprenticeships
More students than ever have applied to university this year. In a bid to beat the tuition fees increase in 2012 some 600,000 young people have sent in their UCAS form this year. That's more than 5% higher than the same time in 2010 when an estimated 200,000 students missed out on a place altogether.
With thousands more battling for the same number of places - around 479,000 - this year even more students face rejection from all of their university choices. They will have to decide whether to apply in the year of the higher fees, 2012, or look elsewhere for the opportunity to progress their career.
With thousands more battling for the same number of places - around 479,000 - this year even more students face rejection from all of their university choices. They will have to decide whether to apply in the year of the higher fees, 2012, or look elsewhere for the opportunity to progress their career.
Higher education tuition fees reforms in the UK
Following the successful vote in the House of Commons on changes to graduate contributions for 2012/13, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable said:
"Today's (9th December) vote has been an important step in turning the Coalitions commitment to deliver a high-quality university sector that is more responsive to the needs of students into a reality.
"Under our proposals no student will have to pay upfront for tuition and both parties in the Coalition have worked hard to develop a much fairer and progressive graduate contribution scheme. Graduates will only begin to repay the cost of their tuition and living support once they are in high earning jobs, with significant discounting for those on low and modest incomes."
UK performing poorly in the numbers doing Maths after 16
Writing in Tuesday's Education Guardian (14/12/2010), Warwick Mansell reports that results from an international testing study in early December triggered a fresh round of soul searching after they revealed that the UK is falling down the global rankings for reading, science and particularly maths!
New research shows England, Wales and N. Ireland finishing bottom of another kind of league table, which compares countries according to the number of young people persisting with any kind of maths education post -16.
New research shows England, Wales and N. Ireland finishing bottom of another kind of league table, which compares countries according to the number of young people persisting with any kind of maths education post -16.
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