Tag Archives: Vince Cable

Apprenticeships

Gender bias in apprenticeships

candgcareersadvicegirlsvboysYoung men are twice as likely to be encouraged to take an apprenticeship as women, according to new research from the City & Guilds Group.

A survey of more than 2000 young professionals (aged 18 – 31) showed that a third of the men were encouraged to take an apprenticeship in school compared to just 17% of women, suggesting that girls are still being held back by stereotypical perceptions of the ‘right’ career path for them.

This is interesting because it supports the view that there is more that can be done to improve the careers advice given in schools, particularly where this concerns apprenticeships and fails to put the spotlight on these as attractive alternatives to expensive University education.

Apprenticeships allow students to earn whilst learning and whilst gaining a valuable qualification towards their future career.

This week is National Apprenticeship Week #NAW2014 and I attended a Learners Day on Monday to see a programme likely to change these perceptions in future as organised by Raytheon Professional Services in Nottingham.

During the course of the day I saw pre GCSE female students from Witton Park comprehensive school in Blackburn changing their minds about a career in the motor industry after as little as 5 hours. It took a carefully crafted, cleverly targeted and relevant careers programme to do this of course.

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Particular highlights for me included the students using the latest Vauxhall diagnostic equipment (making car washers, wipers and horns work remotely) plus informative sessions from Pendragon’s Charlotte Potter and The IMI’s Emily Hakansson.

Both Charlotte and Emily focused on the fantastic range of motor industry careers that are equally available and rewarding for females as they are for males.

From an initial 2 students expressing a halfhearted interest in motor industry careers, a lively five hour programme quickly transformed this into an enthusiastic and committed total of six likely motor industry ambassadors.

Yes the sample is too small to be statistically meaningful but bearing in mind this was the transformation within a group of just 11 girls, it’s not hard to see the potential multiplier effect when a similar programme is rolled out elsewhere.

Furthermore it may demonstrate a lack of understanding that many of today’s school pupils have about apprenticeships for the reason that few teachers have any real work experience outside education, suggested by Business Secretary Vince Cable MP today.

All this points to the power of and the need for more effective marketing communications in this area. Sadly all this costs money but someone clearly needs to educate teachers to do a better job here. This is surely a missing link in their education process? Perhaps the Business Secretary should talk to the Education Secretary about ways they both can make things better here?

We surely need everyone on the same side here to benefit the UK economy? And to make sure that our pupils know ALL their career options at as early a stage as possible.

FOXY

By all means join in this debate at Twitter, please use #NAW2014 and our Twitter feed @FOXYtweets.

women in the motor industry

Ford inspires and rewards female engineering talent

Last month’s Perkins Review, published earlier this month, revealed that the UK has the lowest proportion of women engineering professionals in Europe, at under 10 per cent. And bearing in mind that young UK females are outperforming males at GCSE level in STEM subjects it’s clear that between school and career there is a female disconnect and UK engineering businesses could be missing out on half in not more of the most capable talent with a view to the future.

This is something that Ford recognised and started to tackle back in 2011 as part of their Blue Oval sponsorship programme, awarding 100 undergraduate students scholarships of £10,000 each, paid over a three year period. Of the initial 2012 group, 25 per cent were female scholars, and Ford is now supporting a targeted rise in female participation to 50 per cent as well as committing to a further 10 Blue Oval Scholarships a year in the longer term.

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Taken in front of the Houses of Parliament after a meeting about this, the photo is of Barb Samardzich (centre), Ford of Europe Chief Operating Officer, current Blue Oval Scholar, Sophie Vanderspar (right), Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate at University of Southampton, and former Ford Craft Apprentice, Lauren Robinson (left), who is now a full-time Ford employee.

Keen supporter Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Engineering has a vital role to play in the future of British industry. But with just one in ten engineers being women, we are only tapping into a fraction of the talent available. During Engineering Week earlier this month, we announced £49 million of new money to address skills shortages in engineering. Working with companies like Ford who have a great record in the recruitment and long-term retention of women, we can inspire young women to consider a career in this growing industry and ensure they are properly represented in the workforce.”

This programme is jointly funded by Ford’s corporate foundation, the Ford Motor Company Fund and fits within Ford’s global initiative called “Operation Better World” creating measurable outcomes to do with education (focusing on STEM subjects), car safety, community needs and sustainability.

To find out more about Ford’s Blue Oval Scholarships visit http://www.ford.co.uk/experience-ford/AboutFord/Scholarships