Warwick Institute for Employment Research - IER

What Does a High Quality VET System Look Like for Young People?
The latest VET2050 blog is now available here:
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/researchthemesoverview/researchprojects/vet2050/blogs/

We are keen to hear your take/opinions, share them using this link: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/researchthemesoverview/researchprojects/vet2050/jointheconversation/

👉VET2050 - The latest blog is now available here!
Exploring Place Based Perspectives on High Quality VET in a High-Quality VET System!
Read more here:
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/researchthemesoverview/researchprojects/vet2050/blogs/

Our May 2026 Newsletter is now available here:
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/news/newsletter/

Predicting skills shortages!

Giving evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee for their latest inquiry ‘Youth employment, education and training’, IER’s Dr Emily Erickson highlighted evidence from SkillsPulse, a Europe-wide study predicting skills shortages.

👉"Mismatch is multi-dimensional, multi-casual and it can be systemic … its very rarely only a problem of an individual lacking skills. It’s going to reflect job design, terms and conditions, …how skills are utilised, labour market matching.”

👉"If you’re offering below market wages, or bad jobs, you might actually have a hard time filling it that has nothing to do with skills, and more about the quality of the job on offer”

👉"Youth unemployment is by no means simply a problem of young people lacking skills - we can’t reduce it to that. It's far more complex”

Watch Emily's presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x6MDwWW6xg
Watch the full version here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/14258313-2745-4b05-982a-2490b0dfbf1b

work and pensions committee short clip Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

How can international experience help address rising youth unemployment?

Giving evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee for their latest inquiry ‘Youth employment, education and training’, IER’s Dr Emily Erickson highlighted evidence from Skills2Capabilities about apprenticeship schemes, contrasting international experience with the UK:
👉Other countries have maintained a focus on new labour market entrants
👉There is a relatively high cost to employers in England of apprenticeship schemes
👉Policy instability creates uncertainty around costs which can disincentivise employers

📄 Read more here: Apprenticeship costs in Germany, Austria, and England: Matched plant studyhttps://www.gatsby.org.uk/app/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/apprenticeship-costs-matched-plant-study.pdf

📹 Watch more here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/14258313-2745-4b05-982a-2490b0dfbf1b

New technology in agriculture: IER research features on Edge's latest skills bulletin

Research undertaken by IER's Peter Dickinson with colleagues in the University of Warwick's School of Life Sciences, and funded by The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH), features in a special land-based skills bulletin published by the Edge Foundation.
The bulletin summarises the report's findings into the impact of new technology on jobs and skills in agriculture and horticulture, and what responses are required.
Read more here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/news/

The Impact of AI on Green Jobs!
IER's Peter Dickinson gave a presentation at the Career Development Institute (CDI)'s AI in Careers Lightning Conference on the impact of AI on green jobs.
Drawing on research projects funded by York City Council, Skills Development Scotland and the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture, the presentation covered 'what is a green job?' and how many there are, as well as the nature of AI in farming, and its expected impact on jobs and skills.
Read more here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/news/

Launch of the UK Standard Skills Classification!
The UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC) offers the most detailed, data-driven picture yet of the UK labour market. It is an innovative new tool that will make it much easier to match people to job opportunities and target skills investment where it matters most.

Created by the IER and the University of Sheffield, in partnership with Omnifolio on behalf of Skills England, the SSC is a standardised set of categories that identify the skills, knowledge and tasks required across UK occupations.

The SSC is available through the UK Skills Explorer Digital tool: https://skillsclassification.org/skills

Read more here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/news/ier_news/

Dr Sangwoo Lee challenges ‘Graduate Premium’ narrative at AERA 2026 and CGHE 2026!

IER’s Dr Sangwoo Lee recently shared insights at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2026 conference in Los Angeles and at the Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE) 2026 conference in Oxford, challenging traditional views on the value of a university degree.
His research, "Beyond Earnings: The Multidimensional Job Quality Premiums for University Graduates in Europe," explores whether higher education truly delivers better working conditions across non-monetary dimensions.
Read more here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/news/ier_news/

Good work and productivity are closely linked, especially when employees can voice their views.
Can Good Work Solve the Productivity Puzzle?
📜 https://carnegieuk.org/publication/can-good-work-solve-the-productivity-puzzle/
➡️ Read more on our work on Creating Healthy Jobs: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/creatinghealthyjobs/