Demos report: "the forgotten half"

Demos have published a report looking educational opportunity for “the other 50%” of students who do not go to study at University.

The report identifies significant failings in the educational offer and warns that unless major reforms are put in place to improve the skills base of and opportunities for young people unemployment levels of 20 per cent among young people will become the new norm.

Equipping learners for the workplace
The report argues the education system should be less focused on facilitating learner’s advancement onto higher education and more focused on ensuring learners have the capabilities required to prosper in the labour market. 

The report recommends greater focus on providing learners with core literacy and numeracy skills, the opportunity to develop soft skills, high quality work experience and employability skills training.

Careers advice
Demos reports concern that that careers advice is often biased towards progression to sixth form and university, with little information being provided about apprenticeships. It also reports a lack of engagement with local businesses for school careers fairs, and finds that industry finds it difficult to know how to engage with schools.

Vocational Curriculum and Practical learning
A significant majority of students felt there were not enough opportunities to learn by doing. The report recommends that the Government develops diplomas as a “the framework for a high-quality, mass participation vocational route.”

Apprenticeships
Turning to apprenticeships the report recommends the Government should stop attaching funding for apprenticeships to prescribed qualifications and allow employers to develop their own content.

Read the report