Developing Skills and Talent: Social Mobility and Post-16 Education

Our most recent panel, Developing Skills and Talent: Social Mobility and Post-16 Education, held in partnership with Policy Connect, explored key issues around the support for young people in the post 16 education environment and beyond. This included how to improve outcomes for non-graduates entering the job market as well as how to support the careers system to enable greater social mobility.

The event was chaired by Baroness Garden of Frognal and held by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Skills, Careers & Employment and brought together key stakeholders.

Speaking at the event, SMC Commissioner, Parminder Kohli said employers should always consider a variety of entry routes to their organisation not only as a moral imperative, but also as a business imperative, otherwise they run the risk of missing out on some of the best talent available.

Professor Sharon Gewirtz said a lot of young people’s experience of careers of advice is that it is extremely limited. She said we need to establish a national system with strong localities and links to schools, colleges and employers. People need to be thinking about how to use young people’s talents both for the sake of the economy and so that young people can maximise their potential.

Speakers and panellists included:

• Parminder Kohli, Commissioner, Social Mobility Commission
• Lucy McLeod, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, East Kent Colleges Group
• Professor Sharon Gewirtz, Professor of Education, King’s College London
• Joe Fitzsimons, Senior Manager, Policy and Insights, EEMA & UK, ACCA