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Welcome to City & Guilds’ special Labour party conference 2023 podcast, 'In conversation with...' hosted by Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds.

Recorded on location on board the Walton Youth Community Project bus, Kirstie is joined by the former Secretary of State for Education and Employment, Lord Blunkett as she dives into some of the issues raised during #Lab23 and events elsewhere.

Listen as one of the UK's most renowned champions of the importance of skills and lifelong learning, shares the sofa and microphone, in this episode special.

Special thanks to Citadel Policy and Communications  and the Walton Youth and Community Project, for their assistance with the recording of this episode in their studio.

For more episodes from City & Guilds, visit the City Voices podcast channel page.

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Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series, a monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name.

The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So in this series, we want to showcase the work that various industries are doing to integrate young people into their workforces and explore how we might resolve the multiple barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce.

Hosted by Craig Smith, Managing Director of City & Guilds Gen2,  this episode takes a closer look at  the engineering sector, which is set to grow significantly over the coming years. However, it is also a sector that faces an ongoing skills shortage due in part to an aging workforce, with a 2020 report finding that almost 20% of engineers in the UK are due to reach retirement age by 2026.

Despite this, our Youth Misspent research found that almost half (42%) of young people felt that they lacked the skills to pursue a career in engineering, and a third felt that they didn’t know enough about the roles available in the sector.  

In this episode Craig is joined by: 

• Warren Page, Apprentice Manager at Xtrac Ltd 
• Remis, a young engineering learner at an FE College  
• Beth Elgood, Director of Communications, at EngineeringUK 

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit:

• Youth Misspent
• Levying Up: Delivering sustainable skills
• The Big Bang fair
• EngineeringUK reports
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

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Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series,  a monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name

The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So in this series, we want to showcase the work that various industries are doing to integrate young people into their workforces and explore how we might resolve the multiple barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce.

Hosted by Andy Moss, Managing Director of City & Guilds. this episode takes a closer look at  the energy sector,  which is experiencing rapid, large-scale change. With the government having committed to ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector by 2035 this will mean a major shift away from the use of fossil fuels.  This change will undoubtedly bring new challenges for the energy sector, but it will also create an abundance of opportunities for people old and young to upskill and reskill in low carbon skills. 

In this episode David is joined by: 

• Grace McCrickard, Award winning learner and Senior Electrical Technician at JF Nuclear
• Mark Wilkins, Training Director at Vaillant Group
• David Nash, Director of Strategy and Policy at ECITB – the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit:

• Youth Misspent
• Levying Up: Delivering sustainable skills
• ECITB scholarships
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

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Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series,  a monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name

The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So in this series, we want to showcase the work that various industries are doing to integrate young people into their workforces and explore how we might resolve the multiple barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce.

Hosted by David Phillips, Managing Director of City & Guilds. this episode takes a closer look at  the manufacturing sector, the opportunities the industry can offer young people and employers, and some of the challenges many currently face such as, acute skills shortages. 

In this episode David is joined by: 

• David Land, Chair of the County Durham, Engineering & Manufacturing Network
• Jemima Pennock, Manufacturing Excellence at Nestlé UK & Ireland and former apprentice 
• Sharon Blyfield OBE, Head of Early Careers & Apprenticeships at  Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
• Tom Mongan - President of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chambers of Commerce

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit:

• Youth Misspent
• Levying Up: Delivering sustainable skills
• Careermap
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

To hear more insights on how we can empower young people to enter the workforce and play an essential part in the UK's recovery story, you can subscribe to the podcast

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The latest episode in our Youth Misspent series continues on our journey to explore some of the issues highlighted in our research report, which uncovered the harsh realities for the UK's young people in today's job market. 

In honour of International Women's Day, this episode focuses on the challenges and opportunities for young women entering the workforce. Our host City & Guilds, Corporate Affairs and Foundation Director, Faiza Khan MBE, is joined by a brilliant panel as they discuss the ambitions and expectations of young women and how employers, government and educators can support them in realising these ambitions. 

In this episode, Faiza Khan is joined by:  

• Claire Reindorp, Chief Executive, Young Women's Trust
• Evelyn Bate, Head of Academy, Nestlé UK&I 
• Kathleen Sullivan, Engineering learner at Gen2 

For further information about the material quoted in this episode, visit:  

• Youth Misspent
• Levying Up: Delivering sustainable skills
• Work It Out Services
• #CostingOurFutures
• Just Getting By: Young Women's Trust Annual Survey
• Schools for All 
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

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This latest episode takes a closer look at the construction sector, delving into its challenges, such as its continued struggle with acute skills shortages, an aging workforce and a need for more diversity as well as looking at the solutions and what kind of career opportunities the sector can offer young people in the UK.  

 In this episode, Andy is joined by: 

• Andy Rayner, Director of Apprenticeship and Early Careers, Travis Perkins
• Kate Buxton, Mentor at Volunteer It Yourself
• Stephen Cole, Senior Customer Engagement Manager at CITB 
• Kaitlin and Demi, two young women who have been supported in the early stages of their careers through a construction programme with Employability Solutions and Volunteer It Yourself

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit:  

• Youth Misspent
• Levying Up: Delivering sustainable skills
• Go Construct 
• Apprenticeship Levy Pledge
• Timewise Construction Pioneers Programme
• Construction Leadership Council
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

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Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series, hosted by David Phillips, Managing Director of City & Guilds. A monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name.

The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So in this series, we want to showcase the work that various industries are doing to integrate young people into their workforces and explore how we might resolve the multiple barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce. 

To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, this episode takes a closer look at apprenticeships, the opportunities they can offer young people and employers, and some of the challenges many currently face in using them. 

In this episode David is joined by: 

• Mark Cameron, CEO at 5% Club
• Joanne Gogerly, Head of Siemens Professional Education UK and North-West Europe 
• Bradley Fisher, Trainee Solicitor Apprentice, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP  

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit:

• Youth Misspent
• Levying Up: Delivering sustainable skills
• GetMyFirstJob 
• Apprenticeships at Siemens
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

To hear more insights on how we can empower young people to enter the workforce and play an essential part in the UK's recovery story, you can subscribe to the podcast.

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Welcome to City & Guilds’ Great Jobs podcast series, hosted by Craig Smith, Managing Director of City & Guilds Gen2. A monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name, produced in collaboration with economic modellers Lightcast. 

The research found that despite key workers seeing the nation through the pandemic, the UK’s most vital industries are being threatened by growing skills shortages, as poor reputations and concerns about low pay turn off potential new recruits. 

This episode looks at the Energy sector, a sector that has seen a great deal of public attention as it has risen to the top of the political agenda, however, it still faces a significant skills shortage. 

In this episode, Craig is in conversation with:

• Melanie Onn – Former Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and the Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK. 

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: 

• Great Jobs Report
• Mission Renewable - Armed forces engagement for the UK renewable energy sector
• Energy Careers 2050 -  Providing resources to support training and competence for the Wind Energy Sector.
• Green Careers Week - an exciting event that raises aspiration, supports diversity, challenges stereotypes, and promotes real opportunities for young people to have a career that will genuinely make a difference.  

To hear more insights on the essential jobs that keep the UK moving, healthy and working, you can subscribe to the podcast.

Listeners may also be interested in a podcast series by the City & Guilds Foundation.

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Welcome to City & Guilds’ Great Jobs podcast series, hosted by Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds. A monthly podcast in which she dives into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name, produced in collaboration with economic modellers
Lightcast.

The research found that despite key workers seeing the nation through the pandemic, the UK’s most vital industries are being threatened by growing skills shortages, as poor reputations and concerns about low pay turn off potential new recruits.

This episode looks at social care, a sector that has seen a great deal of positive public attention as people became more aware of its vital and challenging work, however, it still faces a significant skills shortage.

In this episode Kirstie is joined by: 

• Nigel Taylor – Group Head of Learning and Development at CareTech
• Sarah Gribbin - Learning and Development Manager at Home Instead
• Lindsey Appleby-Flynn – Head of Development and Design at Cera Care

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit:

• Great Jobs Report
• The state of the adult social care sector and workforce report
• ADASS Waiting for care report 
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
• If you are interested in joining the Employer Reference Group mentioned in this episode  contact Geraldine Donworth or email her directly via: [email protected]

To hear more insights on the essential jobs that keep the UK moving, healthy and working, you can subscribe to the podcast.

Listeners may also be interested in a podcast series by the City & Guilds Foundation.

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Welcome to City & Guilds’ Great Jobs podcast series, hosted by Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds. A monthly podcast in which she dives into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name, produced in collaboration with economic modellers
Emsi Burning Glass.

The research found that despite key workers seeing the nation through the pandemic, the UK’s most vital industries are being threatened by growing skills shortages, as poor reputations and concerns about low pay turn off potential new recruits.

This episode looks at Green Skills and the role they can play not only in creating a sustainable future, but also powering the ambitious Levelling Up agenda set out by the government.

In this episode Kirstie is joined by: 

• Lizzie Lyons – Head of Skills - Business West
• Venetia Knight - Head of Employment and Enterprise - Groundwork
• Rebecca Durber – AELP

For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit:

• Great Jobs Report
• The Workforce for the Future programme
• Unlock a better way ahead - Skills for life
• AELP Webinar: Maximising opportunities to develop your learners' Green Skills
• AELP Green Skills Summit: Sustainability is now the 'fourth functional skill'
• City & Guilds Foundation: Support for a Green start
• City & Guilds social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

To hear more insights on the essential jobs that keep the UK moving, healthy and working, you can subscribe to the podcast.

Listeners may also be interested in a podcast series by the City & Guilds Foundation.