News

During 2010-11 there were 171 worker deaths in the UK. Eurostat figures indicate that between 1999 and 2007, while accidents involving older workers declined, the occurrence of accidents amongst young workers (those aged between 15 and 24) increased. Young workers are more vulnerable in the workplace because of their inexperience and physical and psychological immaturity. They are susceptible to peer pressure, often keen to please and therefore less likely to question work procedures. In addition, they often have an unrealistic perception of risk.

The position of young people in our society is a significant concern since they have been disproportionately affected by the economic downturn. One in five young people aged 16 to 24 were unemployed at the start of this year1 and many are still unable to find work. Unemployment is affecting those traditionally identified as at risk, such as the low skilled, but is also impacting on young graduates.

Details of the new UK government’s policy priorities in areas of interest to IES (including welfare reform, skill development, further and higher education, workforce health and well-being, older workers and pensions, and many others) are only just emerging. However, its approach to the generation and analysis of the evidence base to underpin these priorities remains wholly unclear.

For many years the focus of education policy was very firmly on the so-called three ‘R’s: reading, writing and arithmetic. Looking ahead, the emerging policy focus of the coalition government in the area of education and skills seems to be on the three ‘A’s: academies, apprenticeships, and austerity.