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This week IER welcomes Dr Stephen Whelan as a visiting academic from the University of Sydney. Stephen is a labour economist with a research focus on social policy and its impact on labour market outcomes. Whilst at IER for the next few months, Stephen will be working with Chris Warhurst and Sally Wright researching global jobs.

IER is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE as a Principal Research Fellow. Deirdre has a long established relationship with IER and has been an Associate Fellow since 2006. Deirdre is an international expert in careers, employment and skills policy, research and practice. Her main research interests include: the marketisation of careers provision; partnership and city approaches to careers work; assessing and measuring the impact of guidance interventions; quality and evidence-based approaches to careers, employment and skills; the application of careers coaching, information communications technologies (ICT) and labour market intelligence in public sector services.

She is also Co-Editor of the British Journal for Guidance and Counselling: International Symposium Series. Deirdre is currently Chair of a DfE/CfBT Senior Advisory Group (Promotions) raising the profile of a new Core Maths Support Programme across England. She has acted as a Commissioner at the UK Commission for Employment & Skills (UKCES, 2011 - 2015). Deirdre was Chair of the National Careers Council in England (2012 - 2014), reporting directly to three Skills Ministers.

Deirdre has given written and oral evidence to UK-wide Parliamentary and Assembly Governments and published extensively in academic and professional journals. She is a consultant to the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN, 2011-2015) on quality assurance and evidence-based policies and practices. Deirdre recently led a UK Country delegation to the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy (ICCDPP) 7th Symposium held in Iowa. The Mayor of London recently endorsed her work on 'London Ambitions: Shaping a Successful Careers Offer for all young Londoners'. She is passionate about improving careers support systems and encouraging young people to build upon their early achievements in mathematics. In 2012, she was awarded an Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen for services to career guidance.

This study, by Professor Anne Green with others from IER and in partnership with Dr Paul Sissons and Kevin Broughton (Coventry University), reviews UK and international evidence on local approaches linking people not in work to jobs, and those in work to better jobs. It looks at four stages in a stylised ‘pathway to employment’: pre-employment; employment entry; staying in work; and in-work progression. It found that variations in the challenges and opportunities facing cities have an impact on how anti-poverty policies are likely to succeed. Although there are differences in cities’ precise powers and resources, their policies can reduce poverty in their area. However, the evidence is clear that progress can be made without greater local autonomy and with no or limited additional resources. Among other factors in the success of anti-poverty strategies are how strong the local leadership is and what priority is given to change in local areas.

For more information see:

Green, A.E., Sissons, P., Broughton, K., and de Hoyos, M. with Warhurst, C. and Barnes, S-A. (2015). . York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. (A is also available)

A new book on job quality, co-edited by IER Director Chris Warhurst, has been published in Australia by Federation Press. Job Quality in Australia examines the range of disciplinary perspectives on job quality, and conceptual and methodological problems with current understanding of job quality as well as offering proposals for developing that understanding and delivering better policy to improve job quality.

For more information go to the .

As part of the Social Sciences Festival celebrating the University of 糖心TV 's 50th Anniversary, the University's network on Connecting Research on Employment and Work (CREW) will be holding an event on 8th May, 11 am - 3 pm, to be held at the University's Ramphal building.

This event will identify key changes in work and employment that have taken place over the years since the University of 糖心TV was established in 1965. In the morning session senior scholars will review some of the continuities and changes (and how we think about them) in their fields of study. After a complimentary lunch, there will be presentations by newer members of the faculty looking ahead to future trends and practices.

Colleagues from trades unions, enterprise or training councils and other academic organisations are welcome to attend and further details of the event can be found here: