City Voices: A City & Guilds Podcast

A successful early talent strategy and strong learning culture can help organisations to attract, engage and retain early career employees, leading to a more productive workforce and a thriving future for your organisation. To explore this topic, host Manuel Thompson-Ọ́lọ́kọ̀, Early Talent and Apprenticeships Partner at City & Guilds, is joined by Lesley Bamber, Early Careers UK & I Lead at award-winning firm WTW, who shares his proven strategies for developing young talent and empowering junior employees to become effective client-facing consultants, including: For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Princess Royal Training AwardsWTW Early CareersFor more episodes from the series click here.

Employability skills – including effective communication and other workplace behaviours, are now essential for those aiming to find employment and progress their careers. The need for employability skills is consistently highlighted by employers, but young people entering the world of work often lack professional skills, and have limited knowledge of their importance at work. In the first of two podcasts exploring this topic, Bryony Kingsland and Eric Oliver are joined by Kira and Rob, members of the City & Guilds Young Learner Advisory Team, who share their insights on the employability challenges faced by young people in the modern workplace, including: Upcoming Episode: Part two of this episode, will focus on tips for hiring new individuals, the significance of work experience, and the obstacles to social mobility in accessing internships. For more episodes from the Navigating the UK skills Challenges series click here.

Welcome to the City & Guilds Insight Podcast series, where we embark on a journey to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the UK today: bridging the gap in our nation's skill shortages. At City & Guilds, our mission is centred on empowering individuals, organisations, and economies through skills development. In this 2024 Insight podcast series, we delve into the heart of the post-16 technical skills sector with a bold question: Is it truly possible to overcome the UK's skill shortages? As we stand at a pivotal moment in history, our workforce faces unprecedented challenges and remarkable opportunities. From technological disruptions, to the demands of a global economy, the path ahead is both daunting and exhilarating. But within every challenge lies the potential for innovation, resilience, and growth. Join us as we shine a light on the intricate dynamics of the UK workforce, showcasing the extraordinary individuals and organisations leading the charge for change. Through insightful interviews and discussions with experts and sector leaders, we aim to dissect the issues highlighted in the Department of Education's 38 regional Local Skills Improvement Plans released in 2023. Are you curious about the best practices and innovations already shaping the landscape? Do you want to understand how skill needs will evolve in the coming years and the implications for your career, business, or life plans? Whether you're an employer, a training provider, or an individual seeking guidance, this podcast promises insights and information to inform your decisions. Come join us as we uncover the challenges and innovations shaping the future of technical skills development. Your voice matters in this conversation, so leave reviews and comments, you may find your question popping up in a future podcast. In this podcast we explore alongside Craig Smith, Managing Director at Gen2, how employers and training providers can embrace innovation and nurture talent to ensure this sector revolutionises our economy. By fostering collaboration and facilitating knowledge exchange among industries and training institutions, we hope to pave the way for an engineering workforce equipped to flourish in the future. For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: STEM Learning: STEM Ambassadors Engineering UK: Tomorrow's Engineering Code Stay tuned for more fascinating episodes hosted by Bryony Kingsland, Funding & Policy Insight Lead, and Eric Oliver, Funding & Policy Advisor, both at City & Guilds.

Foundation & Friends podcast: Conversations across the network Here at City & Guilds, our purpose is helping people, organisations and economies develop their skills for growth. Through our Foundation, we act as a catalyst for this work, by helping remove barriers to getting a job, celebrating best practice on the job and advocating for jobs of the future. Through this monthly podcast, we hope to bring together people from across our diverse foundation networks. The ambition is that this podcast will serve as an educational platform, a source of inspiration, a community hub and a tool for personal and professional empowerment. Listeners who are passionate about skills development and committed to growth. This is aimed at employers, learners, skills development partners, learning and development connects. In this very first episode, a head of International Womens' Day (#IWD2024), host Cecilia Harvey, Chief Operating Officer City & Guilds, invites Gaia Caruso, Head of ED&I Sparta Global to discuss female leadership within the technology sector. Sparta Global, a provider of business and technology training and careers for emerging talent, were one of the esteemed winners of the Princess Royal Training Awards 2021, in recognition for deploying an innovative approach to help employees across hiring, training, engagement and employment develop their use of inclusive language and keep on top of using it in a considerate, constructive and empowering way. They were also awarded special commendations for demonstrating a significant commitment to inclusion and diversity and developing and delivering best practice in training. For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: EqualTech report launch ( March 2024) Rise of women in tech leadership | Deloitte InsightsPrincess Royal Training Awards #InspireInclusion

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.

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 PageXtrac Ltd Beth ElgoodEngineeringUKFor further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Youth MisspentLevying Up: Delivering sustainable skillsThe Big Bang fairEngineeringUK reportsTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTube

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 McCrickardJF NuclearMark WilkinsVaillant GroupDavid NashECITBFor further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Youth MisspentLevying Up: Delivering sustainable skillsECITB scholarshipsTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTube

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 LandEngineering & Manufacturing NetworkJemima PennockNestlé UK & IrelandSharon Blyfield OBECoca-Cola Europacific PartnersTom MonganCoventry & Warwickshire Chambers of CommerceFor further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Youth MisspentLevying Up: Delivering sustainable skillsCareermapTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTubeTo 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

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 ReindorpYoung Women's TrustEvelyn BateNestlé UK&IFor further information about the material quoted in this episode, visit: Youth MisspentLevying Up: Delivering sustainable skillsWork It Out Services#CostingOurFuturesJust Getting By: Young Women's Trust Annual SurveySchools for All TwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTube

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 RaynerTravis PerkinsVolunteer It YourselfStephen ColeCITBEmployability Solutions Volunteer It YourselfFor further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Youth MisspentLevying Up: Delivering sustainable skillsGo ConstructApprenticeship Levy PledgeTimewise Construction Pioneers ProgrammeConstruction Leadership CouncilTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTube

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 Cameron5% ClubJoanne GogerlySiemensBradley FisherBryan Cave Leighton Paisner For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Youth MisspentLevying Up: Delivering sustainable skillsGetMyFirstJobApprenticeships at SiemensTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTubeTo 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.

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 OnnRenewableUKFor further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Great Jobs ReportMission RenewableEnergy Careers 2050Green Careers WeekTo 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.

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 TaylorCareTechSarah GribbinHome InsteadLindsey Appleby-FlynnCera CareFor further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Great Jobs ReportThe state of the adult social care sector and workforce reportADASS Waiting for care report TwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTubeEmployer Reference GroupGeraldine Donworth 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.

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 LyonsBusiness WestVenetia KnightGroundworkRebecca DurberAELPFor further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Great Jobs ReportThe Workforce for the Future programmeUnlock a better way ahead - Skills for lifeMaximising opportunities to develop your learners' Green SkillsSustainability is now the 'fourth functional skill'Support for a Green startTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTubeTo 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.

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 explores the skills gaps and labour market shortages in the rail sector and what action needs to be taken to address these. In this episode Kirstie is joined by: Lorna GibsonQTS Training LtdWomen in Rail - ScotlandNeil RobertsonNational Skills Academy for RailAlex PondIntertrain For further information about the material quoted in this episode visit: Routes Into RailGreat Jobs ReportTwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramYouTubeTo 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.