Search Results for: education

Business leaders don’t think higher education prepares people for the workplace

Business leaders don’t think higher education prepares people for the workplace

Most UK business leaders say that higher education doesn’t fully prepare graduates for the workplace, according to a new pollMost UK business leaders say that higher education doesn’t fully prepare graduates for the workplace, according to a new poll from Multiverse. Yet the survey also suggests that over half (54 percent) of senior leaders at those companies still require degrees for entry-level roles. The findings, which come as part of a global report into business leaders’ attitudes to on-the-job learning, show just a third (32 percent) believe a graduate’s degree grade is one of the top three indicators of their potential. This comes as almost twice as many (59 percent) say they actually learned more valuable skills during their first two years in the workplace than they did during university. (more…)

Mental health issues in young fathers caused by a lack of support in work and educational settings

Mental health issues in young fathers caused by a lack of support in work and educational settings

young fathersNew research published by Leeds Trinity University and parenting platform DaddiLife claims that young fathers face preventable barriers when accessing education and employment, leaving some in vulnerable positions with an increased risk of facing mental health issues. (more…)

Graduates feel their education leaves them wholly unprepared for work

Graduates feel their education leaves them wholly unprepared for work

graduates setting outMany of this year’s graduates finished their degrees online and are due to enter the workplace amidst a tumultuous jobs market, however, fewer graduates felt like their university had prepared them for the workplace this year, with only 15 percent reporting that they felt completely prepared (down from 18 percent last year). Graduate jobs board Milkround’s survey of nearly 3,000 students, graduates and young workers has revealed that 10 percent of the next generation of workers feel wholly unprepared for the workplace after their degree. (more…)

Choices and expectations perpetuate higher education gap and gender pay gap, UCL research finds

Choices and expectations perpetuate higher education gap and gender pay gap, UCL research finds

Teenagers’ own career aspirations could be perpetuating both the gender pay gap and the higher education gap, a study from researchers at UCL Institute of Education (IOE) suggests. The new research reveals that, while teenage girls are more likely than teenage boys to have high hopes of going to university and having a professional or managerial occupation, when it comes to salaries it’s the boys who are aiming highest. The research team at the IOE’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS), analysed data collected from over 7,700 teenagers in the UK who are all part of the Millennium Cohort Study, a study which has followed their lives since they were born at the turn of the century. When they were 14, the teenagers were asked a series of questions to find out their future aspirations.

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World education programme aims to help 34,000 young people worldwide

World education programme aims to help 34,000 young people worldwide 0

Global trade enabler DP World is rolling out its Global Education Programme internationally following an English language pilot in seven countries with an aim to deliver over 100 sessions in seven additional languages by the end of 2016. Volunteers from 17 DP World locations in the UAE, India, Pakistan, Senegal, the UK, Argentina and the Philippines delivering the programme have received positive feedback from students and teachers. Over 90% of teachers in the pilot countries said that the course provided their pupils with something new their school could not have provided and 85% said they would be likely to recommend DP World as an employer to pupils. The Global Education Programme aims to engage 34,000 children between the ages of 8-14 by 2020 with DP World volunteers delivering it from across its network of 77 operating marine and inland terminals in 40 countries.

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Employees on a four-day week use their extra day off for housework, hobbies, ‘me-time’ and moonlighting

Employees on a four-day week use their extra day off for housework, hobbies, ‘me-time’ and moonlighting

New research claims to shed light on how employees who switch to a four-day week spend their additional day off – and some are using it to take on extra jobs.New research claims to shed light on how employees who switch to a four-day week spend their additional day off – and some are using it to take on extra jobs. As well as housework, hobbies and voluntary work, staff are also devoting time to education, caring responsibilities and side businesses that can sometimes compete with their main employment. The study, led by Dr Mengyi Xu, Dr Daniel Wheatley, Dr Holly Birkett and Professor Tony Dobbins of Birmingham Business School at the University of Birmingham, explored the experiences of employees, managers and executives at UK organisations using the ‘100:80:100 model’, where staff receive 100 percent of their pay while completing their workload in four days rather than five. (more…)

AI, automation anxiety and the future of work: lessons from Daniel Susskind

AI, automation anxiety and the future of work: lessons from Daniel Susskind

Jo Sutherland reports from an enlightening lecture on how automation anxiety and fears about the future of work may not be quite as you thinkWhen I joined the audience at Gresham College for Professor Daniel Susskind’s inaugural lecture on automation anxiety, I expected the familiar line: AI is coming for our jobs. That’s not what I heard. Instead, Susskind, Professor of Business at Gresham, made a surprisingly nuanced argument, explaining that the real story was less about the number of jobs losses, and more about how the very nature of work is shifting. This piece reports on that event (available to watch below) and reflects on what his ideas mean for workplace leaders – and, from my vantage point as a communications professional working with organisations through workplace and digital transformation, how we talk to and engage our colleagues through the change. (more…)

Ten projects named as 2025 Urban land Institute Europe Awards for Excellence finalists    

Ten projects named as 2025 Urban land Institute Europe Awards for Excellence finalists    

Ten projects from eight countries across the EMEA region have been announced as the finalists in the sixth annual Urban Land Institute Europe Awards for ExcellenceTen projects from eight countries across the EMEA region have been announced as the finalists in the sixth annual Urban Land Institute Europe Awards for Excellence, which recognise exemplar projects and programmes in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. This year’s finalists comprise cutting edge refurbishment, restoration and new build projects, and include residential, healthcare, mixed use, education, community, laboratory and office projects from Italy, Germany, the UK, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, France and Spain.    (more…)

HNI Corp to acquire Steelcase in $2.2 billion deal

HNI Corp to acquire Steelcase in $2.2 billion deal

HNI Corporation, whose brands include HON and Allsteel, has agreed to acquire Steelcase in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $2.2 billionHNI Corporation, whose brands include HON and Allsteel, has agreed to acquire Steelcase in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $2.2 billion, according to a report from Rob Kirkbride of office insight. The deal brings together two of the US office furniture sector’s largest players and will create a combined company with annual revenue of around $5.8 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Steelcase shareholders will receive $7.20 in cash and 0.2192 shares of HNI common stock for each Steelcase share they hold. Based on HNI’s closing price of $50.62 on August 1, 2025, the deal implies a purchase price of $18.30 per share for Steelcase. Once the acquisition is completed, HNI shareholders will hold 64 percent of the merged entity, with Steelcase shareholders owning the remaining 36 percent. (more…)

Microsoft study reveals which jobs have been most affected by Generative AI

Microsoft study reveals which jobs have been most affected by Generative AI

Which jobs are most affected by Generative AI?A new large scale study from Microsoft has offered what its authors claim is one of the clearest pictures yet of how Generative AI is being used in real workplaces and which jobs are most exposed to its growing influence. Researchers from Microsoft analysed 200,000 anonymised user conversations with Bing Copilot, Microsoft’s publicly available AI assistant, to determine how AI is assisting or performing work tasks. The study focused on the types of activities people use GenAI for, how successfully AI completes them, and how these activities align with those performed across hundreds of occupations. (more…)

Why winning the AI race starts with workforce readiness

Why winning the AI race starts with workforce readiness

While AI is heralded as a transformative force across industries, a quieter challenge threatens to slow its momentum: the growing shortage of skilled AI professionals. Behind the buzz of breakthroughs lies a stark reality — companies are racing to adopt AI, but many are leaving their people behind. Recent data shows the skills required for AI-exposed jobs are evolving 66 percent faster than for other roles — a dramatic leap from just 25 percent a year ago. The demand for AI talent is surging in the UK, where the job market is cooling off. Yet, as job postings requiring AI skills continue to climb, this only underscores a critical imbalance felt across the job market. (more…)

Does your employee benefits package have a marketing problem?

Does your employee benefits package have a marketing problem?

Despite many businesses investing heavily in employee benefits, many of these perks fail to deliver their full potential. Here's what to do about itDespite many businesses investing heavily in employee benefits, many of these perks fail to deliver their full potential. According to the 2025 Drewberry Employee Benefits and Workplace Satisfaction Survey, just 12 percent of UK employees report being truly satisfied with their benefits package. This gap in satisfaction isn’t always about the benefits themselves, but is often a failure of communication. This latest research shows that while benefits may be in place, just 36 percent of employees fully understand what’s on offer. Even fewer regularly engage with these benefits. (more…)