ISE Policy framework and manifesto
Building a vibrant early career labour market
Education structures, vocational and academic education routes, labour market regulations, social inclusion policies and migration rules all impact who and how employers hire and develop people.
ISE members alone spend over £180m a year hiring and developing students. Those students go on to add many, many times that value to the UK economy. A vibrant ‘early-in-career’ employment market is vital to the UK’s social and economic wellbeing.
Our policy work with government, educators, employers and other stakeholders, aims to foster policy decisions that enable organisations, the economy, and the students themselves to thrive.
Policies to ensure students and employers thrive
The early-in-career recruitment and development market is complex with multiple, inter-dependent stakeholders. Employers, educators, and suppliers all work collaboratively to create an ecosystem that builds a healthy early career labour market.
- The employers who hire and develop school leavers, apprentices, graduates and career changers.
- The schools, colleges, universities, private education and training providers who transition students through education and training and into work.
- The intermediaries who deliver a range of services that support the careers education of students, all stages of the recruitment process, and the onboarding, learning and development of student hires.
Three policy priorities
Current pathways through education and into work do not always develop people with the skills and abilities that employers seek. Structures and regulations can hinder the efficient hiring of early-in-career talent.
These barriers can leave employers with unmet talent needs – the potential of employers and students is not maximised. Three broad policy areas are a priority for ISE members:
- Education structures that enable students to develop work related skills and learn about careers, that place equal value on vocational and academic routes, and facilitate employer and student interactions.
- Social impact policies that provide employment opportunities and remove barriers to success for all students, whatever their social background or personal circumstances.
- Labour market structures that work in the interests of employers and the students they hire.
Many of the policy solutions that will increase employer and student success can, and should, be enabled by employers and educators themselves. But other stakeholders within society, particularly government, can also help create the environment for a thriving early-in-career labour market.
The ISE manifesto
The ISE has developed a full manifesto in collaboration with our members. For each policy priority we have developed a number of specific recommendations for government and the sector to adopt. To discover more, read our manifesto: ‘Building a Vibrant Early-In-Career Labour Market’
Download manifesto