1. A Year of Partnerships
Skills
for skills

3. #BNews22

4. <national_coding_challenge/>2023
Prizes include laptops, mentoring and internships
University students and recent graduates offered chance to gain personalised
feedback from employers and digital coding badge for their CVs
10 categories including potential to code – no experience needed
• Students and recent graduates complete behavioural and
technical assessments, uniquely configured to a coding
category, they get personalised feedback from employers and
earn a digital coding badge
• 9 categories including 3 with no prior experience required –
each category has an employer partner
• Prizes include laptops, mentoring and internships
• The challenge reveals the most capable and highest potential
cohort in some key coding and developer based environments

5. Pathways

7. GTI has been appointed by the Office for Students (OfS) to help broaden
the diversity of talent in the UK’s AI and data science workforce.
Employers can co-fund scholarships to:
• access diverse, highly skilled talent
• create innovative new partnerships with universities.
Supporting the Future of AI and Data Science

8. Welcome
Simon Rogers, Chief Customer Officer, GTI
Economic update & predictions
Declan Curry, business and economics journalist and broadcaster
Sector update
Stephen Isherwood, CEO, Institute of Student Employers
The students’ view
Lisa Marris, Head of Research, Cibyl
Recruiting for skills
Mike Hanbidge, Head of Employer Brand, Blackbridge Communications
What skills do the next generation of talent need?
Jo Fairley, entrepreneur and co-founder, Green & Black’s
Today’s agenda

9. Economic update & predictions
Declan Curry
business and economics
journalist and broadcaster

10. Sector update
Stephen Isherwood
CEO
Institute of Student Employers

11. https://www.populationpyramid.net/united-kingdom/2022/
1950 – 50.6m 1990 – 57.1m 2022 – 68.5m

12. Entering the world of work is like coming off the slip road onto a fast-moving
motorway. Employers hire students who can learn and grow within an environment
that is constantly evolving at an ever-quicker pace. How educators and employers
work together to develop students’ skills is something we all need to get better at.

13. Total number of people employed in professional/managerial roles (source: DfE)

14. 87%
77%
73%
56%
39%
34%
31%
23%
17%
12%
5%
4%
6%
8%
19%
21%
21%
19%
12%
14%
18%
14%
9%
17%
19%
25%
40%
45%
50%
66%
70%
70%
80%
Teamwork
Problem-solving
Self-awareness
Resilience
Negotiation/influencing
Managing up
They have this skill
They lack this skill - and we did not expect this lack
They lack this skill - but we expected this lack
What employers want…

15. Employer’s future skills requirements
Source:The Future of Jobs,World Economic Forum

16. …who can work with and get things done with other people,
…with the practical intelligence to think through problems
clearly and deliver solutions,
…with a keen interest in their chosen industry/career,
…with the resilience to do difficult, sometimes dull, work in
challenging, changing circumstances
Or put more simply, people…

17. The students’ view
Lisa Marris
Head of Research
Cibyl

18. Does university
prepare
students for
the workforce?
Lisa Marris
Head of Research at Cibyl

19. Who are Cibyl?
Who are Cibyl
• Leading student market research
consultancy in the UK and Ireland;
part of Group GTI
• Experts in students’ career
aspirations, influences & motivations
• Support employers, universities,
professional bodies & researchers
with their attraction, brand, talent
managementand career service
planning
Survey 100,000+
students annually
Helping 100+ employers
to hire better
Partner with 100+
institutions
19

20. Our research covers the full student journey
• Who are Cibyl
20
65,432 respondents
160+ universities
Graduate
Research UK
University students and
recent graduates
2022 research:
12,261 respondents
147 universities
Student Mental
Health Research
University students and
recent graduates
2022 research:
10,538 respondents
2,000+ schools
School Leaver
Research UK
School students
aged 12 to 18
2022 research:

21. The skills gap

22. 2.88
52%
47%
42%
38%
33%
30%
27%
26%
24%
12%
10%
8%
7%
7%
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Communication
Attention to detail
Organisation
Creativity
Initiative/ Self-drive
Leadership
Resilience
Data science/ analysis
Tech skills
Entrepreneurship/ Innovation
Negotiation skills (sales)
Commercial awareness
Top 3 most confident skills
Communication skills mismatch
Futureof Work and Skills
Communicationis a
top strength according to
students – but not employers.
22
Business-appropriate
communication is the
8th least-possessed
skill (ISE).

23. 2.88
20%
14%
13%
8%
8%
7%
5%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
2%
2%
1%
0%
0%
0%
Accounting & financial management
Technology
Engineering, design & manufacture
Consulting
Scientific research & development
Banking, insurance & financial services
Media & Advertising
Law firms
Investment banking & investment
Construction, civil engineering & surveying
Consumer Goods - Manufacturing & Marketing
Retail
Public sector
Logistics, transport & supply chain
Chambers
Charity & not-for-profit
Hospitality, leisure & tourism
Energy & Utilities
Graduate offerings on targetjobs
Futureof Work and Skills
23
Targetjobs opportunities advertised from Sep to Dec 2021.
70% of opportunities
are in STEM (tech,
engineering or science
R&D), or banking and
finance (targetjobs).

24. 2.88
52%
47%
42%
38%
33%
30%
27%
26%
24%
12%
10%
8%
7%
7%
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Communication
Attention to detail
Organisation
Creativity
Initiative/ Self-drive
Leadership
Resilience
Data science/ analysis
Tech skills
Entrepreneurship/ Innovation
Negotiation skills (sales)
Commercial awareness
Top 3 most confident skills
The need for tech and data skills
Futureof Work and Skills
Around 40% of employers
say they don’t expect
graduates to have data or
tech skills, despite roles
24
needing them (ISE).

25. 2.88
57%
46%
36%
34%
23%
26%
24%
29%
22%
15%
16%
11%
9%
9%
47%
48%
47%
41%
42%
32%
29%
24%
25%
9%
5%
5%
5%
6%
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Communication
Attention to detail
Organisation
Creativity
Initiative/ Self-drive
Leadership
Resilience
Data science/ analysis
Tech skills (AI, cloud computing, coding)
Entrepreneurship/ Innovation
Commercial awareness
Negotiation skills (sales)
Top 3 most confident skills
Male Female
The need for tech and data skills – gender divide
Futureof Work and Skills
Females feel less
confident in their tech
and data skills.
Already a large gender
gap in STEM roles.
25

26. 2.88
Subject divide leads to skills gap
Maximising on skills
26
55% 56%
45% 40%
74% 81%
15% 20%
45% 44%
55% 60%
26% 19%
85% 80%
A-level Degree A-level Degree A-level Degree A-level Degree
Gender split by subject
(ofqual & HESA)
Number of A-level certificates E+ in 2021 (ofqual); full-time university students 2020/21 (HESA).
Total STEM Psychology Computing
Subject gender
gaps at A-level are
maintained into
university.
STEM and
computing subjects
are male
dominated, whereas
psychology
primarily attracts
females.

27. “My course provides me with the skills necessary for the labour market”
Futureof Work and Skills
27
Female, LGBTQ+, low socio-economic, and white students are less
positive.
Nearly 3 in 4 black students agree they are gaining the necessary skills.
Gender Sexuality Ethnicity Socio-economic
Total
I disagree
18%
21%
19%
24%
21%
13%
18%
24%
22%
Male Female Heterosexual LGBTQ+ White Black Asian Low High

28. 2.88
32%
31%
28%
24%
23%
23%
23%
21%
20%
19%
16%
16%
15%
15%
15%
14%
10%
Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies
Humanities & Liberal Arts (non-specific)
Language & Area Studies
Psychology
Social Sciences
Mathematical Sciences
Creative Arts & Design
Law
Geographical & Environmental Studies
Physical Sciences
General & others in sciences
Engineering & Technology
Education & Teaching
Subjects Allied to Medicine
Computing
Medicine & Dentistry
Veterinary Sciences
“My course provides me with the skills necessary for the labour market”
All subjects are not equal
when it comes to feeling
prepared for the labour
market.
28
10% of students (HESA)
study in the top 3 subjects
where they are most likely
to feel under skilled.
Total
I disagree

29. Key takeaways
29
i SKILLS GAP FOR TECH SKILLS AND BUSINESS-
APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION i FEMALES ARE
LESS CONFIDENT IN THEIR PROBLEM SOLVING,
TECH AND DATA SKILLS – THIS IS LIKLEY TO DUE TO
SUBJECT DIVIDE i LOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND
LGBTQ+ STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKLEY TO THINK
THEIR COURSE DOES NOT PREPARE THEM FOR
EMPLOYMENT i HUMANITIES STUDENTS ARE LESS
LIKELY TO THINK THEIR COURSE PREPARES THEM
FOR WORK THAN STEM STUDENTS

30. www.cibyl.com
lisa.marris@cibyl.com
Thank you
linkedin.com/in/lisamarris

31. Mike Hanbidge
Head of Employer Brand
Blackbridge Communications
Key skills:
Problem solving, communication,
teamwork, creativity and attention to detail
Recruiting for skills

33. Increase in skills
based hiring in the
year to August 2022
(Remote)
Increase in positions on
LinkedIn that don’t
mention a qualification
(LinkedIn – 2019-2020)
Of employers favour a
positive working
attitude over
qualifications in an
entry level role
(Indeed)
63% 40% 87% 74%
Of employers are
less interested in
qualifications than
they were a
decade ago

34. Important because skills reflect the “how”
• Productivity
• Innovation
• Creating a thriving culture
• Commercial bottom line

35. But…
• How do you market for skills?
• What are the dos and don’ts?

36. Al Wotton
Executive Creative Director
Me again
Head of EmployerBrand
Ben Nunn
Directorof Digital Operations
Hollie Atkinson
Paid Media Manager

37. Rule 1:
“Decide why you’re hiring for skills and
what those skills look like in practice.
People need to know how they can
break the paper ceiling.”
Mike Hanbidge
Head of Employer Brand

38. Consideration
Attraction
Conversion

39. Rule 2:
“When you’re targeting for skills – don’t
think you know all the answers upfront
– test, learn and develop.”
Hollie Atkinson
Paid Media Manager

41. Rule 3:
“Write for the audience, not the
boardroom and use creativity to build
confidence.”
Al Wotton
Executive Creative Director

42. • Lennox Lewis
• Could you?
• Met Police

43. • Amazon Brand Specialists
• Simple repurposing of
existing approaches
• Highlighting real situations
and skills

44. • Gendered language
• Applied – 65% uplift in
females being hired when
skills based recruitment
techniques are involved

45. • Google certificates
• Created and
presented skills by real
employees
• Teaching them the
skills in practice

46. Rule 4:
“Use all the functionality of the ATS so
that candidates can show more of who
they are. Let them show you the
experiences and skills they have.”
Ben Nunn
Director of Digital Operations

48. Rule 5: Remember this
• Skills reflect the “how” you do things
• Always have goals
• Target, learn, repeat
• Build a creative bridge
• And skills can be uncovered across the whole
candidate journey

49. What skills do the next
generation of talent need?
Josephine Fairley
Entrepreneur and co-founder
Green & Black’s

50. If you don’t do it,
you’ll never know what
would have happened if
you had done it…

51. ‘Doing good
is good for
business’
Dame Anita Roddick

53. When G&B’s took
investment from private
equity, the skills of the
new team took us to a new
level. (Even if it did upset
a couple of veggies that
the brilliant Marketing
Director came from
Burger King…)

60. Another key skill
requirement is
that someone can
put themselves in
the customer’s
shoes. (And as an
employer, I’m also
‘the customer’.)

62. I go beyond
looking at a
C.V. and
always listen
to my gut

64. Strong values
attract strong
talent and help
build strong
teams

66. JO FAIRLEY