The LMI Learning Blog

On the 3rd April 2006 Construction Skills launched a press release that claimed research shows young women feel let down by the careers advice they receive. But how credible is this research?

Gender stereotyping is clearly a cause for huge concern, but if the problem is incorrectly attributed then it can't be tackled effectively.

Based on this press release, do you feel the claim is justified, if not, what else would you like to know?

Reply to this weblog post to have your say...

On the 3rd April 2006 Construction Skills launched a press release that claimed research shows young women feel let down by the careers advice they receive. But how credible is this research?

Gender stereotyping is clearly a cause for huge concern, but if the problem is incorrectly attributed then it can't be tackled effectively.

Based on this press release, do you feel the claim is justified, if not, what else would you like to know?

Reply to this weblog post to have your say...

Practical tools

This section contains the toolkit's tools. There are ideas for using LMI in work with individuals and groups and in different contexts, and for different ways of presenting LMI. Each tool is free-standing, and some consist of more than one page. In no particular order the sections cover:

• The tools and how to use them
• Checkpoints: identifying clients' needs
• Checkpoints: judging the quality of LMI
• Using local LMI in class
• LMI database: working with maths students
• A quick guide: making sense of LMI
• Guidelines: reading tables and charts
• Using local LMI: classroom careers education session
• Producing a regular LMI newsletter
• Careers adviser's LMI workshop for school staff
• Sample material: careers education in cross-curricular work
• Two sample LMI leaflets

I wonder if anyone out there has tried using any of these materials?  Also, given the current resurgence of interest in LMI, could these materials come into use again.   It seems to me there is a lot of LMI already out there, and it does inform my practice up to a point, but I could probably engage with the area much more effectively, perhaps the approach reflected in the materials on this website could be part of that process.

LMI is of demonstrable interest to government - as the Leitch Review of 2006 makes clear. Leitch recommends the establishment of a new, universal careers service for England that places 'labour market focused' advice at its heart.

It recommends the formation in England of a new universal adult careers service, learning from those elsewhere in the UK, providing a universal source of labour market focused, accessible careers advice for adults.

Just how important is LMI to governments and why? Should those with an interest in guidance work celebrate this enthusiasm for LMI or view it with suspicion? What do you think?