Emily Andrews
@emilyishness.bsky.social
Director of Policy and Research @ Learning and Work. Previously @ Ageing Better, IfG. Very ex-teacher. PhD Victorian dementia. Views informed by my job, but my own.
Reposted by Emily Andrews
📉🤯📉 Should we be panicking about the labour market? I have commandeered the L&W monthly briefing + our expert team to help me think this question through. 🤯📉🤯
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
Labour Market Briefing: February 2026 - Learning and Work Institute
Our analysis of the ONS labour market statistics, released on the morning of 17 February 2026.
learningandwork.org.uk
February 17, 2026 at 5:16 PM
📉🤯📉 Should we be panicking about the labour market? I have commandeered the L&W monthly briefing + our expert team to help me think this question through. 🤯📉🤯
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
📉🤯📉 Should we be panicking about the labour market? I have commandeered the L&W monthly briefing + our expert team to help me think this question through. 🤯📉🤯
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
Labour Market Briefing: February 2026 - Learning and Work Institute
Our analysis of the ONS labour market statistics, released on the morning of 17 February 2026.
learningandwork.org.uk
February 17, 2026 at 5:16 PM
📉🤯📉 Should we be panicking about the labour market? I have commandeered the L&W monthly briefing + our expert team to help me think this question through. 🤯📉🤯
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
You can read the whole thing here - but here are some headline thoughts...
learningandwork.org.uk/labour-marke...
Reposted by Emily Andrews
"Overall, employment is falling, unemployment rising and vacancies flat."
💬 L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
💬 L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
Labour market stats response, February 2026 - Learning and Work Institute
L&W's chief executive Stephen Evans responds to the latest labour market data from ONS.
learningandwork.org.uk
February 17, 2026 at 8:17 AM
"Overall, employment is falling, unemployment rising and vacancies flat."
💬 L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
💬 L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
Introduce yourself with the name your parents almost gave you
Daisy, after a beloved great-aunt. They worried I would be mocked for having a girly/old fashioned name.
So they lumbered me with the name of half the millennial women I meet.
'Emily Andrews' is so common, my hairdresser sees two of us
Daisy, after a beloved great-aunt. They worried I would be mocked for having a girly/old fashioned name.
So they lumbered me with the name of half the millennial women I meet.
'Emily Andrews' is so common, my hairdresser sees two of us
February 13, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Introduce yourself with the name your parents almost gave you
Daisy, after a beloved great-aunt. They worried I would be mocked for having a girly/old fashioned name.
So they lumbered me with the name of half the millennial women I meet.
'Emily Andrews' is so common, my hairdresser sees two of us
Daisy, after a beloved great-aunt. They worried I would be mocked for having a girly/old fashioned name.
So they lumbered me with the name of half the millennial women I meet.
'Emily Andrews' is so common, my hairdresser sees two of us
Reposted by Emily Andrews
"Looking ahead, slow growth and global instability increase the risks of rising worklessness, increasing the importance of the Government focusing on growth."
✍️ L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to today's labour market statistics released by ONS.
✍️ L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to today's labour market statistics released by ONS.
Labour market analysis, 20 January 2026
Learning and Work Institute's response to the labour market stats for January 2026, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
learningandwork.org.uk
January 20, 2026 at 8:08 AM
"Looking ahead, slow growth and global instability increase the risks of rising worklessness, increasing the importance of the Government focusing on growth."
✍️ L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to today's labour market statistics released by ONS.
✍️ L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to today's labour market statistics released by ONS.
Reposted by Emily Andrews
"Occupational standards can be the foundation of a smarter, more responsive skills system. But only if we’re willing to rethink how they work—and who they’re really for."
Read L&W's @stephenevans.bsky.social and Pearson's Donna Ford-Clarke's article on occupational standards in England. ⬇️📝
Read L&W's @stephenevans.bsky.social and Pearson's Donna Ford-Clarke's article on occupational standards in England. ⬇️📝
From confusion to clarity: rethinking England’s 670 occupational standards - Learning and Work Institute
learningandwork.org.uk
January 8, 2026 at 3:36 PM
"Occupational standards can be the foundation of a smarter, more responsive skills system. But only if we’re willing to rethink how they work—and who they’re really for."
Read L&W's @stephenevans.bsky.social and Pearson's Donna Ford-Clarke's article on occupational standards in England. ⬇️📝
Read L&W's @stephenevans.bsky.social and Pearson's Donna Ford-Clarke's article on occupational standards in England. ⬇️📝
Reposted by Emily Andrews
"We need a twin approach of providing more help to find work and creating the conditions for employers to create jobs."
✍️ L&W Chief Executive @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
✍️ L&W Chief Executive @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
Labour market analysis, 16 December 2025
Learning and Work Institute's response to the labour market stats for December 2025, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
learningandwork.org.uk
December 16, 2025 at 8:09 AM
"We need a twin approach of providing more help to find work and creating the conditions for employers to create jobs."
✍️ L&W Chief Executive @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
✍️ L&W Chief Executive @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.
Reposted by Emily Andrews
Some worry signs in the labour market. Payroll jobs & employment heading down, with relatively large falls for retail & hospitality. Unemployment at its highest since the pandemic, partly reflecting more people looking for work (inactivity down) but suggesting they're struggling to find jobs.
December 16, 2025 at 7:44 AM
Some worry signs in the labour market. Payroll jobs & employment heading down, with relatively large falls for retail & hospitality. Unemployment at its highest since the pandemic, partly reflecting more people looking for work (inactivity down) but suggesting they're struggling to find jobs.
"With four out of five of the workers of 2035 already in the workplace today, we cannot rely on schools, colleges and universities to provide the Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons of the Brave New World we are entering in this latest technological shift."
www.ft.com/content/460b...
www.ft.com/content/460b...
The UK must escape the doom loop of low skills
Social mobility like my own is all too rare when so many are trapped in low-income jobs by lack of training
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 10:20 AM
"With four out of five of the workers of 2035 already in the workplace today, we cannot rely on schools, colleges and universities to provide the Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons of the Brave New World we are entering in this latest technological shift."
www.ft.com/content/460b...
www.ft.com/content/460b...
I missed the leak when I went to get a sandwich. Does this mean I still have to watch the speech?
November 26, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I missed the leak when I went to get a sandwich. Does this mean I still have to watch the speech?
This sums up the fundamental tension in the "impact" agenda for me.
The route to policy impact is to accept the premise of what policy-makers want to achieve, and help them achieve it.
My whole academic training taught me to question/disrupt/reject policy-makers' premises.
The route to policy impact is to accept the premise of what policy-makers want to achieve, and help them achieve it.
My whole academic training taught me to question/disrupt/reject policy-makers' premises.
I fear that the major problem is that politicians crave simple answers and academics are trained to question. There was a really good research project on this years ago which I think @patrickdunleavy.bsky.social was involved in?
November 17, 2025 at 1:12 PM
This sums up the fundamental tension in the "impact" agenda for me.
The route to policy impact is to accept the premise of what policy-makers want to achieve, and help them achieve it.
My whole academic training taught me to question/disrupt/reject policy-makers' premises.
The route to policy impact is to accept the premise of what policy-makers want to achieve, and help them achieve it.
My whole academic training taught me to question/disrupt/reject policy-makers' premises.
Elizabeth understands what it takes to make these kinds of changes. She’s pushed me into a slightly more positive position about today’s review - but we’re all concerned that none of the change it promises will come to fruit quickly.
"Employers need to do more to help people stay in work and return to work, and we know that when employers get it right, it benefits everybody."
L&W Deputy Director @elizabethgerard.bsky.social responds to the Keep Britain Working Review. ✍️
L&W Deputy Director @elizabethgerard.bsky.social responds to the Keep Britain Working Review. ✍️
Responding to the Keep Britain Working Review - Learning and Work Institute
learningandwork.org.uk
November 5, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Elizabeth understands what it takes to make these kinds of changes. She’s pushed me into a slightly more positive position about today’s review - but we’re all concerned that none of the change it promises will come to fruit quickly.
Reposted by Emily Andrews
"Employers need to do more to help people stay in work and return to work, and we know that when employers get it right, it benefits everybody."
L&W Deputy Director @elizabethgerard.bsky.social responds to the Keep Britain Working Review. ✍️
L&W Deputy Director @elizabethgerard.bsky.social responds to the Keep Britain Working Review. ✍️
Responding to the Keep Britain Working Review - Learning and Work Institute
learningandwork.org.uk
November 5, 2025 at 1:05 PM
"Employers need to do more to help people stay in work and return to work, and we know that when employers get it right, it benefits everybody."
L&W Deputy Director @elizabethgerard.bsky.social responds to the Keep Britain Working Review. ✍️
L&W Deputy Director @elizabethgerard.bsky.social responds to the Keep Britain Working Review. ✍️
Feat. me hard at work improving my line management skills using a genuinely (and I must admit surprisingly, to me) useful AI tool…
Today, we’re at Portcullis House to discuss our #GetTheNationLearning campaign with parliamentarians!
Thanks to our partners @ufitrust.bsky.social @citylit.bsky.social @aoc-info.bsky.social and Multiverse.
Find out more and sign our charter: getthenationlearning.org.uk/get-the-nati...
Thanks to our partners @ufitrust.bsky.social @citylit.bsky.social @aoc-info.bsky.social and Multiverse.
Find out more and sign our charter: getthenationlearning.org.uk/get-the-nati...
November 5, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Feat. me hard at work improving my line management skills using a genuinely (and I must admit surprisingly, to me) useful AI tool…
Reposted by Emily Andrews
In celebration of Get The Nation Learning Week, we’ve put together a blog about five famous lifelong learners whose passion for learning has inspired millions to continuously explore and seek new knowledge: bit.ly/4974xLt #GetTheNationLearning @learnworkuk.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 10:01 AM
In celebration of Get The Nation Learning Week, we’ve put together a blog about five famous lifelong learners whose passion for learning has inspired millions to continuously explore and seek new knowledge: bit.ly/4974xLt #GetTheNationLearning @learnworkuk.bsky.social
As someone who has worked outside Gvt trying to create employer change, I don’t see anything here that harnesses the unique power of Gvt to actually do things.
So it all reads as sensible - it’s sort of what I would do - but I am not The Government!
So it all reads as sensible - it’s sort of what I would do - but I am not The Government!
Today’s Keep Britain Working Review essentially recommends Government takes a “What Works” approach to work and health.
My headline: really sorry to say this is a missed opportunity for the goodwill and legitimacy Sir Charlie has generated over the course of this review to deliver actual change.
My headline: really sorry to say this is a missed opportunity for the goodwill and legitimacy Sir Charlie has generated over the course of this review to deliver actual change.
Keep Britain Working: Final report
www.gov.uk
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 AM
As someone who has worked outside Gvt trying to create employer change, I don’t see anything here that harnesses the unique power of Gvt to actually do things.
So it all reads as sensible - it’s sort of what I would do - but I am not The Government!
So it all reads as sensible - it’s sort of what I would do - but I am not The Government!
Today’s Keep Britain Working Review essentially recommends Government takes a “What Works” approach to work and health.
My headline: really sorry to say this is a missed opportunity for the goodwill and legitimacy Sir Charlie has generated over the course of this review to deliver actual change.
My headline: really sorry to say this is a missed opportunity for the goodwill and legitimacy Sir Charlie has generated over the course of this review to deliver actual change.
Keep Britain Working: Final report
www.gov.uk
November 5, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Today’s Keep Britain Working Review essentially recommends Government takes a “What Works” approach to work and health.
My headline: really sorry to say this is a missed opportunity for the goodwill and legitimacy Sir Charlie has generated over the course of this review to deliver actual change.
My headline: really sorry to say this is a missed opportunity for the goodwill and legitimacy Sir Charlie has generated over the course of this review to deliver actual change.
It's Get the Nation Learning week!
We need learning to help us thrive and grow - as individuals and as an economy.
It should be an engine of progress, but right now it's deepening inequalities. People with the most money do the most learning; people with less do the least. That holds us all back.
We need learning to help us thrive and grow - as individuals and as an economy.
It should be an engine of progress, but right now it's deepening inequalities. People with the most money do the most learning; people with less do the least. That holds us all back.
November 3, 2025 at 9:31 AM
It's Get the Nation Learning week!
We need learning to help us thrive and grow - as individuals and as an economy.
It should be an engine of progress, but right now it's deepening inequalities. People with the most money do the most learning; people with less do the least. That holds us all back.
We need learning to help us thrive and grow - as individuals and as an economy.
It should be an engine of progress, but right now it's deepening inequalities. People with the most money do the most learning; people with less do the least. That holds us all back.
Reposted by Emily Andrews
New target for 2/3 young people to do HE or an apprenticeship is probably broadly sensible (abolishing 50% HE target that doesn’t exist is about headlines). But is it ambitious? 25% of YP already do apprenticeships. 50% do HE. Some overlap & likely app drop since this data. But just describing now?
September 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM
New target for 2/3 young people to do HE or an apprenticeship is probably broadly sensible (abolishing 50% HE target that doesn’t exist is about headlines). But is it ambitious? 25% of YP already do apprenticeships. 50% do HE. Some overlap & likely app drop since this data. But just describing now?
Is it churlish of me to immediately start wondering what level apprenticeships will count?
Valuing people for different choices they make about their education and ensuring dignity and respect for all is a powerful theme.
Two thirds into university or apprenticeships a brilliant target.
And we need to support the choices of the other third.
Education section of this speech v.strong.
Two thirds into university or apprenticeships a brilliant target.
And we need to support the choices of the other third.
Education section of this speech v.strong.
September 30, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Is it churlish of me to immediately start wondering what level apprenticeships will count?
Running the leaflet gauntlet at political conferences is always a challenge, but I don’t remember ever being confronted with leafletting CHILDREN before.
How are you supposed to stone-facedly walk past a 10-year old trying to hand you a leaflet about child poverty…
How are you supposed to stone-facedly walk past a 10-year old trying to hand you a leaflet about child poverty…
September 30, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Running the leaflet gauntlet at political conferences is always a challenge, but I don’t remember ever being confronted with leafletting CHILDREN before.
How are you supposed to stone-facedly walk past a 10-year old trying to hand you a leaflet about child poverty…
How are you supposed to stone-facedly walk past a 10-year old trying to hand you a leaflet about child poverty…
Reposted by Emily Andrews
Pleased to see the Government funding work placements for long-term NEETs, like Future Jobs Fund. As I say in Times, q’s on detail re eligibility (should be open on voluntary basis to young UC health claimants) & placements (how long, which employers, what support). www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Young people to lose benefits if they refuse job offers
Rachel Reeves is to announce a plan to seek out young people not in work or training, and ‘abolish’ long-term youth unemployment
www.thetimes.com
September 28, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Pleased to see the Government funding work placements for long-term NEETs, like Future Jobs Fund. As I say in Times, q’s on detail re eligibility (should be open on voluntary basis to young UC health claimants) & placements (how long, which employers, what support). www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
This is of course great news.
But worth noting limited eligibility: UC claimants out of work for 18 months.
As our recent research showed, only 1 in 3 unemployed NEETs actually claim UC. To really tackle youth unemployment, we need to reach the rest.
learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...
But worth noting limited eligibility: UC claimants out of work for 18 months.
As our recent research showed, only 1 in 3 unemployed NEETs actually claim UC. To really tackle youth unemployment, we need to reach the rest.
learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...
September 29, 2025 at 7:29 AM
This is of course great news.
But worth noting limited eligibility: UC claimants out of work for 18 months.
As our recent research showed, only 1 in 3 unemployed NEETs actually claim UC. To really tackle youth unemployment, we need to reach the rest.
learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...
But worth noting limited eligibility: UC claimants out of work for 18 months.
As our recent research showed, only 1 in 3 unemployed NEETs actually claim UC. To really tackle youth unemployment, we need to reach the rest.
learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...
A great thread - and one that is more relevant to labour market policy than you might think.
The concern about economic inactivity has renewed interest in engaging people in employment support outside JCP.
But in order to do that, you have to rebuild some of the missing community infrastructure…
The concern about economic inactivity has renewed interest in engaging people in employment support outside JCP.
But in order to do that, you have to rebuild some of the missing community infrastructure…
The govt published its strategy to revitalise local communities last week
There is a heavy focus on directing funding to high streets and community spaces, which is part of the reason for declining "pride in place"
But it seems misguided for a few reasons
Short thread
www.gov.uk/government/p...
There is a heavy focus on directing funding to high streets and community spaces, which is part of the reason for declining "pride in place"
But it seems misguided for a few reasons
Short thread
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Pride in Place Strategy
The Pride in Place Strategy will help build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people.
www.gov.uk
September 28, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A great thread - and one that is more relevant to labour market policy than you might think.
The concern about economic inactivity has renewed interest in engaging people in employment support outside JCP.
But in order to do that, you have to rebuild some of the missing community infrastructure…
The concern about economic inactivity has renewed interest in engaging people in employment support outside JCP.
But in order to do that, you have to rebuild some of the missing community infrastructure…
Reposted by Emily Andrews
In @thetimes.com, L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social welcomes the Government's plans to increase job support for people on sickness benefits.
Stephen said this would refocus support to people who get little help today, but called for a broader plan to engage people and offer a range of help.
Stephen said this would refocus support to people who get little help today, but called for a broader plan to engage people and offer a range of help.
Sickness benefits claimants will get training in push for return to work
About half of those on the highest level of incapacity benefits cite mental health problems
www.thetimes.com
September 22, 2025 at 9:23 AM
In @thetimes.com, L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social welcomes the Government's plans to increase job support for people on sickness benefits.
Stephen said this would refocus support to people who get little help today, but called for a broader plan to engage people and offer a range of help.
Stephen said this would refocus support to people who get little help today, but called for a broader plan to engage people and offer a range of help.