Stephen Isherwood

2/2 Agree with you Iain about the problem of prioritising uni through 6th form - some schools mandate that every student completes a UCAS form. There is also an 'everything everywhere all at once' element to this, attractive alternative routes are needed if the degree/uni route is to be dialed down.

State led decisions make me nervous, would rather avoid caps. I'd explore much better market info to prospective students (and the OfS should priortise this); break the monopoly of the words degree and university - a nursing degree isn't the same as a history degree but there is a need for both. 1/2

I'm changing my mind on this too...

This is such a facile argument. Sure, let's have a conversation about how universities should be funded. But let's also talk interest rates, debt that functions like an extra tax, repayment thresholds, and what that's actually doing to millions of young people who did everything they were told to do

Thanks for inviting me onto your podcast Tom. Lots to unpick on the grad market at the moment.

YouTube video by LBC Student loans are 'fair', says Rachel Reeves, amid backlash | LBC

Spoke to Shleagh Fogarty yesterday sbout why the Chancellor is wrong: our “student loan” system is not remotely fair. It’s regressive and embedding inter and intra generational wealth inequality. It’s not a loan system, it’s a bad grad tax in all but name.

youtu.be/uOC6Arrf2us?...

One of the nice things about moving near to Cambridge is that I can now get to the university's Institute of Astronomy weekly public talks. Tonight was the first time I've been that the sky was clear enough for them to get the telescopes out.

A lot to be said also for how this helps across the board. Junior Ish' is a straight A/A* student, has taken a gap year, redone UCAS, and is probably going to a different uni/course.

There is a lot in this. But what to do about it. Personally, school didn't work for me, an ex-poly took me in during my mid 20s, I discovered I loved learning, and off I went. I doubt I'd have done this under the current fees system. So for those like me, blocks based on grades is a bad thing.

Just done an IV for LBC on grad jobs market. Can't help wondering why the NUS are MIA - they should be a pain in the govt's backside right now on tuition fees. If farmers can get changes to the tax system by parking their tractors in Westminster, students should be doing similar.

The great graduate job drought Economic uncertainty and the arrival of AI have brought a reduction in entry-level roles, with potentially disastrous consequences for young people

Smart article from the FT on the graduate jobs market (and not just becuase the ISE data is quoted). I still think the impact of AI on jobs is overblown - at the moment. www.ft.com/content/c894...

Rule 8 is the one for me - avoid the algorithm feed. I occasionally venture into it but always regret it.

I can't think of anything that makes me chortle as much as @in-otter-news.bsky.social

What can we do as a nation to sort out EE? If we are supposedly a sophisticated country, how is that such staggering, mind-numbing incompetence (and dishonesty) is permitted.

This please: "...what if a group of bright things, young and old, sat down and wrote down a plan to make this country safe, secure and prosperous in the next 20 to 30 years. What are the things we need to do? You’ll find none of that in any of the current manifestos."

@lmicharlie.bsky.social data always good. Our data (ISE) is more skewed to the corporate market. This is data from grad outcomes on all roles.

The top rated comment on this article is an excellent rebuttal to Marshall - I'd like to think he'll read it and take a moment to reflect.

I think both 'degree' and 'apprenticeship' have become pretty useless descriptors as they cover such a wide range of totally diffferent pathways. Both the national debate and individual student understanding suffer as a result.

Apprenticeships rise as graduate vacancies drop 8% ISE’s Student Recruitment Survey 2025 launches with the latest data on the entry-level jobs market.

Our annual survey out today. Grad vacancies down 8%, non-grad (mostly apprenticeships) up 8%. But grad hires are more in volume so overall early career market down 5%. ise.org.uk/knowledge/in...

I think what those who don't pay to much attention to politics hear isyet another leadership soap opera. This never does politicians any favours, but for Labour to be playing leadership games this early on is electoral suicide in my book. Those paying only some attention will switch off totally.

EE Broadband. How can a company be so mindbendingly incompetent and wasteful and still say solvent?

Oh goody, more campaigning. You have a 150+ seat majority, use it or lose it.

Not as exotic as your pic @benjacksontp.bsky.social - I think this was taken at Beaulieu

As an aside, on holiday recently a US couple we met were quizing the youngster on how she made her uni decsion. She couldn't really explain it, and the US couple (who were Ivy League grads) certainly couldn't get their heads around it.

Now they know their grades, many are changing their minds on courses/location, upgrading, taking a year out - this is not clearing in the old sense of the word.

The younger Ish has got the A-level grades she wanted and all is dandy. But having seen the process play out at first hand, and at what all her friends are doing, I can't help but think how unfit for purpose it is.

The student who thinks my degree in X will enable me to get a job in X field, particularly when certain courses have far more students studying them than there are jobs, often struggle. There are a plethora of pros & cons to this situation. But this basic market data is too often ignored.

One thing I repeat in my job ad nauseam is that most (not all) employers don't really recruit by subject - 86% according to our data. So if a student knows this, takes a flexible approach, and does all the other stuff that makes them employable, they'll be ok - even if it takes a while. 1/2

I try not to be sniffy about media courses as I did business studies myself:) But I'm coming to the conclusion that this line of subject at degree level should mostly be run as degree apprenticeships - then they are connected to the labour market. Not sure how you make this happen though.

An insider-outsider labour market needs an insider-outsider skills policy By Neil Carberry, Chief Executive, REC - May 2025

Just read this piece by @recneil.bsky.social, made me think of France where employment regs make it really hard for young people to get permanent contracts. campaign-for-learning.org.uk/Web/CFL/What...