Terence Hogarth

Employing the Unemployed: Some Case Study Evidence on the Role and Practice of Employers:

Whilst there has been extensive research into the supply-side causal factors of spatial mismatch there is comparatively little commentary or analysis of the demand side. This paper seeks to make a contribution to the literature with particular reference to the human resources practices of employers. A three-stage model of recruitment is used to identify employer practices which we argue can (unwittingly) contribute to labour market mismatch. We conclude that, if recruitment from among the unemployed is to play a part in filling skills shortages, attention needs to be placed not only on the recruitment processes of employers but also on their retention and internal employee development practices.

Costs and benefits of hiring older workers : a case study of B&Q

Charts the success of an experiment by B&Q, the large DIY chainstore, in opening a store, staffed entirely by older workers. The subsequent success of this proactive response to the changing demographic structure has proved to managers and public alike, that older workers are a valuable part of the UK labour market.

Apprenticeships in England: what next?

This paper examines recent development in Apprenticeship training in England. Since the introduction of Modern Apprenticeships in the mid-1990s this form of training has been subject to much analysis and reform. This paper summarises the current situation and highlights some of the challenges and opportunities which face Apprenticeship over the short to medium term as it seeks to establish itself as a main alternative to the academic pathway through further education.

Worker Support for Organisational and Technical Change: Workplace Industrial Relations in UK Manufacturing - The Case Study Evidence

This paper provides evidence from a series of case studies which explored in greater detail the differential levels of worker support for organisational and technical change recorded in the 1984 Workplace Industrial Relations Survey (WIRS84). The case studies were completed between 1989 and 1990 in fourteen manufacturing establishments drawn from the WIRS84 sample. Interviews were conducted with managers and union representatives as well as production workers. The results from the case studies are consistent with those reported in Workplace Industrial Relations and Technical Change (Daniel 1987) and provide further clues as to the workforces perception and interpretation of each form of change.

Employer investment in Apprenticeships in England: an exploration of the sensitivity of employers in the construction sector to the net costs of training

Apprenticeships in England are undergoing major reform which will likely require employers to make a cash contribution to meeting the fees of their training providers. In return employers will be given more influence over the content of the training. If employers are expected to make a cash contribution this is likely to have an impact on their willingness to deliver Apprenticeships. Based on a series of employer case studies conducted between 1995 and 2011 an examination is provided of construction employers’ sensitivity to the costs of delivering Apprenticeships. Because the cost to the employer is relatively high, and because there is a degree of uncertainty attached to recouping those costs, there is a distinct set of disincentives to construction employers providing Apprenticeships. This is important. First, the construction sector will need to recruit a large number of additional people into skilled trades jobs over the next 10 years as the sector’s recovery gains pace and many existing employees retire. Second, Apprenticeships in the sector have an important role to play in young people’s transition from school into work. A fall in the number of apprentices in the sector is likely to have important economic and social consequences.

Analysing the impact of the Single European Market and European integration upon local economies: A case study of Gloucestershire

Outline Greater economic integration in the European Community (EC) will have far‐reaching effects for businesses and individuals throughout the UK. Indeed, prior to the commencement of the Single European Market (SEM) — the only certain element of European economic integration — there was much evidence of organisations and industries restructuring, increased inward investment, and mergers and acquisitions. Such activities are likely to have far‐reaching implications for local economies. Increasing numbers of local authorities are undertaking studies to assess the implications of the SEM measures for their own areas, and to suggest ways in which local government and other economic development actors might respond to the challenge of the opportunities and threats of the SEM. However, in assessing the impact of the SEM, it is important not to lose sight of the wider process of economic integration which has followed in its wake. This article details the methodology used in a study to assess the impact of th...

Attracting the best talent in the context of migration policy changes: the case of the UK

ABSTRACT Employment projections and skills strategies emphasise the importance of (highly) skilled labour for competitiveness. A strategic focus on ‘attracting the best talent’ globally may conflict with policies to ‘grow local talent’. This issue is considered in the UK context of a shift from a liberal immigration regime to a demand-led system characterised by increasing restriction, through adjustments to a points-based system to manage labour migration from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). The specific focus is on an annual limit on non-EEA labour migrants introduced in 2011 and tightening of eligibility criteria for entry of (highly) skilled migrants, amid business’ concerns that this might stifle economic growth. Drawing on 20 employer case studies and literature on skills and migration policy, the article investigates the costs and implications for business in adhering and seeking to adapt to migration policy changes. Such changes pose administrative burdens on employers and limit business flexibility but associated monetary costs to businesses are difficult to quantify. Adaptation strategies and the impact of migration rule changes vary: some firms experience limited impact, some adjust their recruitment behaviour and some feel their underlying business rationale is threatened. Developing local talent is a partial long-term solution.

Factors affecting completion of apprenticeship training in England

This paper examines factors that are associated with the probability of completion of apprenticeship programmes by individual learners in England. Data are from the 2008/2009 academic year Individualised Learner Record – the administrative database containing information on all learners in the Further Education system in England. The analysis considers various factors including demographic characteristics of apprentices, aspects of their programme and an indicator of the local labour market context in which they participate in the apprenticeship. The study considers both Apprenticeships (Level 2) and Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3) and finds a variety of factors that have a significant effect on the likelihood of completion. Gender-related differences are found only within particular frameworks (akin to the subject or sector). Local unemployment rates are found to have a significant effect on the probability of completion with the direction of this relationship differing between the two levels. The findings highlight that the contemporaneous goals of increasing participation in apprenticeship and improving completion rates cannot be easily achieved through the same actions. Despite this, the importance of completion of an apprenticeship cannot be denied for a variety of reasons including the penalties individuals may suffer in the labour market due to non-completion.

The Costs and Benefits of Apprenticeships to Employers: Policy, Funding and Training Quality

Historically, the UK has experienced relatively low levels of participation in apprenticeships, especially those at Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) level 3 that correspond to the standard commonly trained to in countries such as Germany and Switzerland. This chapter looks at employers’ rationale for investing in Apprenticeships and how this has been influenced by public policy relating to the publicly funded Apprenticeship system. It shows how policy, following the introduction of the publicly funded Apprenticeship system in 1994, was initially balanced in favour of increasing the volume of apprentices but has increasingly moved towards improving the quality of provision. Whether the quality of provision can be increased, and in so doing potentially increase the cost of training to the employer — whilst at the same time maintaining or even increasing the volume of provision, is a moot point.

Counting the cost, reconciling the benefits: understanding employer investment in Higher Apprenticeships in accounting

ABSTRACT Lack of progression to higher education amongst those who complete an Advanced Apprenticeship in England and the country’s need for higher level skills led to the introduction of Higher Apprenticeships in 2009. Whilst Higher Apprenticeships would be expected to facilitate learner progression, the volume of these has remained low. In this paper, the example of accountancy training illustrates that Higher Apprenticeships are typically introduced into a crowded qualification landscape where they likely replace or subsume existing vocational qualifications. Based on employer case studies, the paper explores the factors employers consider when deciding to invest in this form of training and finds that the net costs of training are central. Higher Apprenticeships often simply substitute for other previously used modes of accountancy training, providing the same core qualification but there are some added benefits of the Apprenticeship including widening the employers’ recruitment pool for accounting technicians. As Apprenticeship reforms evolve, it will be down to the value employers place on this route compared to standalone qualification to the same level, which will determine the viability of Higher Apprenticeships in the accounting space.