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Westminster Institute of Education,
Harcourt Hill Campus,
Oxford OX2 9AT

Friday 15th October
3:30 – 5:00 pm

Main Theatre, Harcourt Hill Campus

"Skills in the UK - Unfit for Purpose?"

Chris Humphries CBE
Director General, City & Guilds

In this talk, Chris Humphries will explore the increasingly public and contentious questions of the real skills challenges facing the UK over the next 10-20 years, the mixed messages of employers needs and expectations, and the roles of education and training institutions in responding to those needs.

• Is the 50% target sound public policy?
• Have we got funding priorities for education and training right in the UK?
• Are foundation degrees working?
• What prospects for the National 14-19 Strategy?
• Was abolishing the binary divide a wise decision?
• The lecture will be followed by a period for questions and discussion.

Australian-born and educated, Chris Humphries is currently Director General of City & Guilds, the UK's leading vocational awarding body. Prior to taking up this position he was Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce. Chris Humphries chaired the National Skills Task Force for David Blunkett from 1998-2000, and has been a member of the government's Skills Strategy Steering Group since 2002. His previous work in the FE sector was recognised in the Queen’s Honours List 1998 with the award of a CBE.

Enquiries to Professor John Geake jgeake@brookes.ac.uk.