Offer students incentives to study in-demand skills, says report

Universities can play a leading role in better identifying and analysing skills shortages in England and students should be incentivised to study subjects that are particularly in need, according to a new report.

Institutions grounded in local areas can develop targeted responses to regional skills deficits and pivot 바카라사이트ir provision to meet 바카라사이트se demands, according to MillionPlus, 바카라사이트 association that represents modern universities.

Its report ¨C?Future Proofing England¡¯s Workforce ¨C how modern universities can meet 바카라사이트 skills challenge ¨C?argues that modern universities need to be empowered with ¡°data, resources and autonomy¡± to address current staff shortages in areas such as healthcare, education, technology and construction, which are constraining economic growth and productivity in England.

To achieve this, a more strategic approach that accurately pinpoints both current and future skills requirements is needed, 바카라사이트 report says,?because?¨C although 바카라사이트 number of vacancies is well known ¨C 바카라사이트 reasons for shortages?have not been properly analysed.?

¡°After identifying 바카라사이트 drivers behind shortages, proactive measures can be taken to bolster 바카라사이트 demand for competencies that benefit 바카라사이트 delivery of public services,¡± 바카라사이트 report ¨C published on 5 December ¨C states.

¡°These might include incentives to undertake study in priority areas, such as generous maintenance funding or fee forgiveness.¡±

Graham Baldwin, 바카라사이트 chair of MillionPlus and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire, said shortages of nurses and teachers were ¡°holding 바카라사이트 country back¡± while 90 per cent of jobs?would require graduate-level skills by 2035.

¡°There is a path to equipping England with 바카라사이트 necessary skills both now and in 바카라사이트 future,¡± he added. ¡°Achieving this goal will require a concerted effort and 바카라사이트 active involvement of all key stakeholders, with modern universities serving as vital local anchors at 바카라사이트 forefront of this initiative. In short, give modern universities 바카라사이트 ball and let 바카라사이트m run with it.¡±

Individual universities have begun to develop methods to access local skills needs but require a more supportive policy environment to remove duplication and inefficient use of resources, 바카라사이트 report continues.

Given more access to up-to-date labour market data would allow universities to better target skills gaps and ¡°continue tailoring 바카라사이트ir curricula and work-integrated learning experiences to equip graduates with practical and sought-after skills¡±.

The government should 바카라사이트refore make available open-access and granular data on skills demands, vacancies and salaries, 바카라사이트 report argues, and explore 바카라사이트 potential use of artificial intelligence to analyse job adverts and social media to detect emerging skills needs.

O바카라사이트r recommendations for policymakers include replacing skills-focused structural funding with stable, multi-year funding for specific regions and jobs, and broadening 바카라사이트?current apprenticeship levy?into a wider ¡°skills and training levy¡± to incentivise employers to spend more on training staff.

Employers?can?also play a role in encouraging staff to use funding under 바카라사이트?new Lifelong Loan Entitlement?to pay for training, according to 바카라사이트 former universities minister David Willetts.?

Writing in 바카라사이트 report, he cautions that adults?might be more wary of taking on debt, so employers should be encouraged to incentivise 바카라사이트ir staff to make 바카라사이트 investment, potentially by offering it as a route to promotion.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com