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Editorial
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EDITORIAL
Degrees of learning
Former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair recently called for a sizeable increase in the number of young people going to university over the next two decades to “tackle the country’s productivity crisis”. Not bothered about essential trade skills then Tony?
In a recent report the former prime minister recommended that by 2040 as many as 70% of young people should go into Higher Education (HE), which could, he says, increase economic growth by nearly 5%.
Under the proposals, the aim is for the proportion going on to HE to increase to 60% by 2030 and 70% by 2040 in line with other high-innovation economies around the world like Asia.
The proposals appear to favour the idea that the kind of job you get when you have a degree will be of more value to society and also pay more than a job for which you don’t need a degree. Comparing a lawyer’s salary to a cleaner’s salary might bear this out, but you have to wonder what benefit there is if, as a society, we are overrun with Art History scholars and Lesbian Dance graduates and what role those people will go on to play in the cocalledhigh-innovation economy.
Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of social mobility experts The Sutton Trust, warned the taxpayer would end up footing the bill for a lot of student loans as he said: “Too many kids are going to university.” And while the students are racking up debt the universities are charging more than ever for courses.
Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc said that students would be 'better off' applying for apprenticeship schemes commenting: “Tony Blair is saying that seven out of ten teenagers should go to university. I say that as many would do better to sign for an apprenticeship. Never so many crafts, industries have been so short of staff.” We agree.
As Peter Hitchens point out in his Daily Mail column: “Did you ever need an Arts graduate in a hurry?” Indeed, while in Tony’s new world order we would gain a higher number able to work on a laptop sitting at a desk doing essential work with their Gender Studies qualification, we would also have a higher number of people who don’t even know something as basic as how to rewire a plug or fix a leaking tap.
We’ve known for a while that there is a shortage of people coming into the security installation sector, which is why PSI has teamed up with Skills for Security to get more young talent into a field that will benefit both themselves and society. As an installer you can help future-proof the trade by taking on apprentices and giving your team the appropriate training and development throughout their career. To find out how you go about this come along to a free Next Generation event this year. For more information use the QR code here.
