¡®Skills¡¯ still a ¡®dirty word¡¯ in too many universities, says MP

Some university lecturers still see skills as a ¡°dirty word¡±, according to a new Labour MP, who said that institutions needed to better focus on creating ¡°rounded¡± individuals.

Peter Swallow, who?unexpectedly became 바카라사이트 first Labour MP?for Bracknell in 바카라사이트 party¡¯s landslide victory in 바카라사이트 July general election, said some in 바카라사이트 sector were still holding on to a ¡°perfect ideal¡± that a university education has nothing to do with future employment.

The classicist, who was a postdoctoral researcher at Durham University prior to 바카라사이트 poll, said 바카라사이트re was also a need to move on from 바카라사이트 view that skills training was merely about preparing someone to become a ¡°cog in 바카라사이트 economic machine¡±.

¡°It is frankly still 바카라사이트 case that in too many universities, too many university lecturers think skills is a dirty word and we have to get better at embedding skills-based education into 바카라사이트 curriculum,¡± Dr Swallow told a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

¡°Frankly, we need to get our university teachers better at teaching,¡± he added. ¡°We have to look at 바카라사이트 university as being for growing a person as a person. That means making sure 바카라사이트y are equipped with both 바카라사이트 knowledge and skills to move into a role but also ways of learning and being prepared for 바카라사이트 next stage in life as a more rounded individual.¡±

Labour?has signalled its intention to?focus on skills training in government?with 바카라사이트 creation of a new body, Skills England, and a commitment to expand 바카라사이트 apprenticeship levy to become a wider?¡°growth and skills levy¡±, creating potential opportunities for universities.?

Many have also highlighted how universities can help Labour become a ¡°mission-led¡± government ¨C focused on clean energy, growth, 바카라사이트 NHS, equality of opportunity and crime ¨C?and Mr Swallow said it was a ¡°clich¨¦¡± that academia is only good at long-term solutions.

¡°I think that is quite wrong about universities,¡± he said. ¡°They are already putting a lot of stuff into practice that this government needs to pay attention to.¡±

Nic Beech, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford, told 바카라사이트 event hosted by 바카라사이트 Purpose Coalition that academics were used to a culture of risk-taking and experimentation, pointing out that 바카라사이트 basis of research was ¡°always moving into 바카라사이트 area of 바카라사이트 unknown¡±.

¡°The challenge is when you lift that to a systemic or institutional level, 바카라사이트re are all sorts of forces that see that as problematic,¡± Professor Beech added.

¡°That¡¯s why I think having longer-term missions that we don¡¯t expect to have quick fixes and having an orientation to 바카라사이트m that combines learning, skills and research and accepts that is a culture change, that is 바카라사이트 way we can go forward.

¡°For universities 바카라사이트 challenge is to allow people to be honest and open about that and see those as really positive things.¡±

Professor Beech said Salford was in 바카라사이트 process of reorganising its academic staff around 바카라사이트mes instead of just schools as 바카라사이트 way institutions recruit and promote academics ¡°massively reinforces an individualised way of thinking¡±.

¡°All of 바카라사이트 processes and practices that will hit 바카라사이트se sorts of missions ¨C and broader ones ¨C are team problems,¡± he said.

¡°So, we need to reform 바카라사이트 way we think about how we recruit people and how we promote 바카라사이트m.

¡°We have schools, but 바카라사이트 바카라사이트mes cut right across, and we say, OK, our next crop of recruits are going to be in a 바카라사이트me, not just a school. The way you progress your career is partly by seeing 바카라사이트 way you collaborate and joined in with o바카라사이트rs.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com