NCUB welcomes UUK Future Jobs Roadmap but calls for stronger university-business collaboration
The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) welcomes Universities UK’s Future Jobs Roadmap and its focus on strengthening university-business collaboration to ensure graduates are equipped with the future skills needed in a changing labour market.
Dr Joe Marshall, chief executive of the National Centre for Universities and Business, said: “The future jobs challenge is one that universities and businesses must tackle together. Graduates need the technical and specialist skills to thrive in a changing economy, alongside the core skills that enable them to adapt, innovate and work effectively with new technologies.
“We strongly support the ambition to deepen employer involvement in higher education, particularly through work-based learning, employer integrated provision and co-designed curricula. Scaling university-business collaboration will require universities, businesses and government to work together, supported by better data and evidence of what works and how progress can be measured, as well as practical mechanisms that make it easier for SMEs to participate.
“Our High-Skill Economy Inquiry will build on this agenda, exploring how we can create a higher skills system that works better for businesses, universities and individuals. This includes looking at the incentives needed to scale work-based learning, exploring how we create a shared language around skills, and ensuring regional approaches are supported by effective national frameworks.
“No single part of the skills system can address the future skills challenge alone. Universities and businesses have a shared interest in developing the talent the UK needs to grow, and we look forward to working with Universities UK, government and our members to help turn this ambition into practical action.”