Making The News This Term

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In 2008, the overall number of people applying to university/college saw an almost double digit rise – 9% or over half a million applications!
Source: Belfast Telegraph 1/09/2008


Joanne Stuart, chairperson of the Institute of Directors, commented that a higher proportion of our young people in NI go onto higher education than in other parts of the UK, yet many are under employed in low skilled jobs. We need a careers system that better guides people, not just young people, to the acquisition of skills to build the local economy. She concluded by saying that unless we get a firm handle on skills we can say goodbye to the private sector growth that NI so badly needs.
Source: Belfast Telegraph 1/09/2008


A recent York university research study, which polled some 4,000 young people aged between 9 and 14, concluded that children are switching off science after GCSE because they see it as dull and irrelevant. Young people do not realise that science underpins many of the careers they might do – far too many (potential) scientists are turning their backs on a career with a science background. Too many are turning off because their perception of a science job is one that’s in a lab cut off from people and the real world. A range of science based careers needs to be made available to young people as early as possible in their school careers.

The Independent 25/09/2008