Time after time government officials, business leaders and some academics bang on about how there is no future for people who don't get good qualifications.
Why?
The usual answer is that Britain is well on the way to being a 'knowledge economy' and that means crap and menial jobs, both which require few if any qualifications, will become something for an absolute minimum of the workforce.
As there's no need to plan for it as 'market forces' will sort it all out.
The other day the Institute for Public Policy Research published a paper that suggests quite the opposite.
In fact, we might end up with millions of highly qualified and skilled people doing menial and crap jobs instead of such jobs going to people with the least qualifications and skills base.
The paper is called Nice Work If You Can Get It (Kayte Lawton) - a copy can be downloaded here.
A quick overview:
Persistently high levels of low pay and in-work poverty in the UK reveal a blind spot in the Government’s otherwise impressive record on employment and poverty.
This report makes the case for a coherent strategy to deal with the twin challenges of low pay and in-work poverty that emphasises job quality and career progression and recognises the needs of different families.
Why?
The usual answer is that Britain is well on the way to being a 'knowledge economy' and that means crap and menial jobs, both which require few if any qualifications, will become something for an absolute minimum of the workforce.
As there's no need to plan for it as 'market forces' will sort it all out.
The other day the Institute for Public Policy Research published a paper that suggests quite the opposite.
In fact, we might end up with millions of highly qualified and skilled people doing menial and crap jobs instead of such jobs going to people with the least qualifications and skills base.
The paper is called Nice Work If You Can Get It (Kayte Lawton) - a copy can be downloaded here.
A quick overview:
Persistently high levels of low pay and in-work poverty in the UK reveal a blind spot in the Government’s otherwise impressive record on employment and poverty.
This report makes the case for a coherent strategy to deal with the twin challenges of low pay and in-work poverty that emphasises job quality and career progression and recognises the needs of different families.