Headline news and latest reflections This will be my last report in this precise format, as I’ve reached the limits of my pre-COVID data that I use for comparison purposes. I’ll carry on publishing some data reports and commentaries, but probably in a slightly different way. This report also covers two weeks rather than one … Continue reading 70 weeks after the start of lockdown: final comparative reflections on Higher and Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England post-COVID

Headline news and latest reflections At the end of another very positive week, the top ten new vacancy postings comprised the following: 22 Sales Executives20 Financial Services Professionals, all with HSBC at Canary Wharf14 Civil Engineers14 Construction Site Supervisors11 Quantity Surveyors8 Software Engineers8 Accounting Technicians6 Digital Marketing Professionals6 Quantity Surveying Technicians5 Investment Operations Specialists Meanwhile, … Continue reading 68 weeks after the start of lockdown: Higher and Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England remain strong

Headline news and latest reflections Nursing, Construction and History make this week’s headlines, led by multiple new Registered Nursing DA vacancies especially in Winchester and Basingstoke in Hampshire. Hence this week’s photographic image, a lofty view of Winchester from my personal collection. There is no suggestion that work-ready school and college leavers would be disadvantaged … Continue reading 67 weeks after the start of lockdown: Higher and Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England soar again

Headline news and latest reflections While DAs were steady this week, HAs were especially plentiful and my overall HA occupational analysis (below) continues to paint an intriguing picture of the labour market. The two biggest HA risers were Sales Executives and Construction Technicians, both of which have become quite prolific in recent months. In the … Continue reading 66 weeks after the start of lockdown: Higher & Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England still doing well

Background As a careers adviser for many years, I’ve learned enormously from students I’ve advised. The way their careers unfold often inspires me and shows me what’s possible in an ever-changing careers landscape. As an inspirational case study, Holly-Ann from the class of 2019 at one of the schools I partner with is up there … Continue reading Trafigura’s unique Global Commodity Trading Apprenticeship programme

Headline news and latest reflections Once again I’m pleased to report a positive news story. After last week’s major turning point was reached, we now seem to be firmly moving ‘out of the red’ in the sense that the cumulative number of post-lockdown vacancies (10,136) now exceeds the cumulative number of pre-lockdown vacancies (10,046). This … Continue reading 65 weeks after the start of lockdown: Higher & Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England remain strong

This is a tweaked version of an article I originally wrote for the former 'Which? University' website. Large extracts from it can currently be found on the UCAS site. It might be useful for students who need inspiration to start their personal statement or for parents, teachers or advisers who are trying to help them … Continue reading UCAS personal statements: writing a killer opening

Headline news and latest reflections For the very first time since the start of the pandemic, this week saw the cumulative number of post-lockdown vacancies (9,941) exceed the cumulative number of pre-lockdown vacancies (9,914). And this was despite having to make a negative adjustment to my post-lockdown data. When I began posting my weekly blog … Continue reading 64 weeks after the start of lockdown: Higher & Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England still doing very well

Headline news and latest reflections Given that this was a four-day week, my latest data paints a very positive and colourful picture. The highlights were: 90 Police Constable DAs in Warwickshire; they were posted on the government apprenticeship site and, whilst aimed to attract applicants from all walks of life, school and college leavers are … Continue reading 63 weeks after the start of lockdown: Higher & Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England soar again

Headline news and latest reflections This week’s highlights included a further 26 new HAs in Data Analytics, which continues to be a very substantial growth area, and nine DAs in Town Planning. Six of the latter were with Arcadis in Bristol, two were with Nexus Planning (one in Reading and one in London) and one … Continue reading 62 weeks after the start of lockdown: Higher & Degree Apprenticeship vacancies in England remain solid