SkOP - The Skills Observatory Podcast: Recent Episodes
SKOPE Research Centre
SkOP is the podcast for the SKOPE Research Centre. This podcast seeks to create a platform for researchers across different institutions to voice their thoughts on key issues related to education and skills policy to allow for informed debate. Our first season ‘The L Shape’ is focused on how education and skills policy could/should respond to the COVID-19 crisis, and we are exploring this from multiple perspectives.
The Centre for Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) is based at the Department of Education, at Oxford University. Founded over 20 years ago through Centre funding from the ESRC and has now become self-sustaining. Our work focuses on policy and practice at the intersection of education, skills, and employment. The Centre comprises a global network of researchers whose expertise spans economics, education, sociology, and STEM to name a few. If you’re interested in learning more about us, visit our website: www.skope.ox.ac.uk , where you’ll find these episodes, reading associated with them and our repository of research papers.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Edited by Laura Dong. Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests: Dr Susan James Relly (Director of SKOPE)
In this episode our hosts, Ashmita Randhawa and James Robson, are joined by Susan James Relly, Director of SKOPE, to reflect on Season 2 of SkOP.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Edited by Laura Dong. Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests: Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann OBE (CEO of WorldSkills UK) and Dr Susan James Relly (Director of SKOPE)
Today our guests discuss the future of technical and vocational education, the concept of a skills economy, the ways in which different education and training systems can learn from best practice around the world, and the role that WorldSkills can play in creating spaces for innovative pedagogic approaches.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Edited by Laura Dong. Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests: Professor Ewart Keep, Emeritus Professor of Education, Training and Skills and previous Director of SKOPE; and Dr Adam Saunders, SKOPE Research Fellow, Department of Education, University of Oxford
Today our guests discuss the changing nature of work: the ways in which digitisation, automation, AI, and COVID-19 are all reshaping occupational identities and skills demands. We discuss different and innovative approaches to mapping evolving skills needs at national and local levels and the ways in which skills systems can respond.
New research from the SKOPE Research Centre (Authors: Dr James Robson, Dr Ben Holgate, and Dr Ashmita Randhawa) and funded by the AHRC shows the importance of 'narrative' and how skills associated with the arts and humanities are valued by business leaders: https://skope.ox.ac.uk/publications/storycraft/.
Hear two of the authors and the hosts of this podcast, James Robson and Ashmita Randhawa discuss the report.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Edited by Laura Dong. Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests : Professor Paul Ashwin, Head of Department, Educational Research, Lancaster University (@paulashwin) ¦ Minto Felix, DPhil student, Department of Education, University of Oxford (@MintoFelix)
In a Covid and post-Covid context, with a deep recession and one of the most challenging youth labour markets we’ve seen in the UK since the 80s, the issues of employability and the purpose of Higher Education (HE) are becoming all the more urgent. Therefore, today we’re joined by two fantastic guests, Professor Paul Ashwin and Minto Felix, to discuss the relationship between HE and the labour market.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Edited by Laura Dong. Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests : Prof Sibel Erduran, Professor of Science Education and Director of Research, Department of Education,University of Oxford (@ErduranSibel) ¦ Prof Michael Reiss, Professor of Science Education at UCL Institute of Education, University College London ¦ Emilia Skirmuntt ,Evolutionary virologist and science communicator, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford (@ESkirmuntt)¦ Dr Liam Guilfoyle, Research Officer, Department of Education, University of Oxford (@LiamDGuilfoyle).
We are back for our second season! In this first episode, we will discuss the importance of Science education and skills in a post-COVID world: where we will discuss the importance of science education for navigating key decisions driven by a public health crisis.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
In this final episode of our first season, we reflect on all that we have learnt about the impending impact of COVID-19 on the UK's labour market, education, and training. Highlights include what we would do as policymakers to address the issues that have been highlighted and a reflection on the positives that we can see in the predictions of doom and gloom of the impact of the pandemic.
We look forward to welcoming you back next season m where we hope to explore issues around the increasing importance of science education and communication, the possibilities of skills development through informal education, and how training in sectors key to responding to the pandemic may have changed.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests : Dr Craig Holmes, Labour economist, Pembroke College (@CraigPHolmes) . Introduction by Dr James Robson, Department of Education, University of Oxford
So, we’ve covered a lot so far. We’ve looked at the impact of COVID-19 on vocational education and training and even on the green economy. This week, we will consider the impact of COVID-19 on higher education in England.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests : Dr Gavin Killip , Researcher at the Environmental Change Institute (@ecioxford) , and Dr Steve Puttick @Steve_Puttick, Associate Professor of Teacher Education, Oxford University Department of Education (@OxfordDeptofEd).
So, we’ve covered a lot so far. We’ve looked at the impact of COVID-19 on youth unemployment, and on vocational education and training. This week, we will look at education and skills development in anticipation of green economy.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests : Olly Newton (@ukedgepolicy), Executive Director at the Edge Foundation, and Dr Andrea Laczik, Head of Research at the Edge Foundation (@ukedge) .
As folks might remember from our Episode 0, the focus for this season’s podcast will be on the impact of COVID-19 and this pandemic on education and skills development. This week’s episode zooms in on the impact this pandemic will have on vocational education and training (VET). Olly and Andrea talk about how the sector has dealt with delivery of training through lockdown, and highlight what they would like to see happen to from a policy perspective to ensure that the UK can 'build back better'.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
Guests : Ewart Keep , recently retired Professor of Education and Skills, Department of Education (@OxfordDeptofEd), University of Oxford and previous Director, SKOPE Research Centre (@SKOPEOxford) , and Sue Maguire, Honorary Professor at the Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath.
As folks might remember from our Episode 0, the focus for this season’s podcast will be on the impact of COVID-19 and this pandemic on education and skills development. This week’s episode zooms in on the impact this pandemic will have on youth unemployment. We build an understanding of the issue of youth unemployment as it stands today, and highlight the areas that need focusing on to navigate the effects of COVID-19. Sue and Ewart offer their thoughts on headline announcements (such as Kickstart) from the UK Treasury and the potential consequences of such measures. They also emphasize the need for nuanced debate and honest conversation and coordination to tackle the impending increase in youth unemployment.
Produced by Ashmita Randhawa (@Rand_Ash) and James Robson (@elpug). Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers. Guest : Susan James Relly , Director, SKOPE Research Centre (@SKOPEOxford) , Department of Education (@OxfordDeptofEd), University of Oxford. Follow her on Twitter: @SusanJamesRelly
In this bonus episode ‘SkOP Responds’, we speak with Susan James Relly to gauge her reactions to the Education Secretary Gavin Williams’ speech on FE, where he set out his vision for Further Education and long term change. This podcast explores the tension that exists in the Tertiary sector between FE and HE , and we get Susan’s thoughts on why this exists and what could be done to mitigate it. We also hear Susan’s thoughts on what is misunderstood about FE, learn about the good work that already exists, and what she would like to see in the Government’s upcoming White Paper.
Welcome! This is the first episode ever of The Skills Observatory Podcast. Produced by Ashmita Randhawa and James Robson. Music composed and performed by Francis Pugh and the Whisky Singers.
This is season 1 of SkOP : The L - Shape. In this first episode, hosts Ashmita and James set out the goals of this new podcast, and also lay the groundwork for this first season. As the world navigates its way through COVID-19, governments around the world are putting in policies to deal with the impact and consequences of being in lockdown. As the UK governement also starts to lay out its policies, this first season of SkOP will speak with experts from across institutions to understand what the best approaches might be for building a robust education and skills policy framework for these times and beyond.
If you're a researcher (early - careers , don't be daunted!) interested in education and skills policy and enactment, and would like to offer your voice to the conversations and debates, please get in touch. Also, if you have any feedback , we would love to hear it. Our email address is skope@education.ox.ac.uk
Follow the SKOPE Research Centre on Twitter: @SKOPEOxford