On 10 November, Ditchley convened a Transatlantic group as part of its work on continuous learning and the renewal of democracies. The main takeaways from this session were as follows:
Front line jobs have become more prestigious. The pandemic appears to have changed public perceptions of the value of front-line jobs.
Labour markets: migration and trade. An 80,000 person shortfall in nursing staff exists (despite an increase in course applications) and recruitment and retention is a persistent problem for parts of the UK.
Mandatory training and continuous learning. At a time of crisis and financial squeeze, training and development budgets are the first to be cut.
Labour market intelligence for all. Information about future skills demand is not easily available for individuals, educational institutions or employers.
Emerging demand. Uncertainty about the future is undeniable but the information that is available drawn from platforms such LinkedIn (Microsoft) indicate employment demand in digital skills (process automation, cloud and data roles, cybersecurity) and soft skills (communication, team work, critical thinking).
Managing the transition. How education systems adjust and respond to changes in the employment market is not well understood.
How are educational institutions adjusting? Will Higher Education pivot ever more towards employability?
A more in depth summary can be found here.