City Voices: A City & Guilds Podcast

Send us Fan Mail "Every single one of the government’s big ambitions – from building 1.5 million new homes to achieving net zero – has one thing in common: a skills shortage in this country."  In this episode, Andrew Pakes MP explores the critical role of skills in driving national priorities – from building 1.5 million new homes and achieving net zero, to rebooting manufacturing and ret...

Send us Fan Mail “The NEET number should be a real national concern — nearly a million — and I think it’s actually higher, because it’s not capturing young people in zero-hour or gig work.”   — Anthony Impey, MBE Set against the backdrop of the 2025 Autumn Budget, City & Guilds CEO Kirstie Donnelly MBE sat down with Anthony Impey MBE , Chief Executive of Be the Business —the organisation champ...

Send us Fan Mail How to equip people with the right skills to thrive in a rapidly changing economy.  Be among the first to listen to this special edition of In Conversation with... , recorded live at the Skills Hub during Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, City & Guilds CEO Kirstie Donnelly, MBE is joined by Seema Malhotra MP , the newly appointed Minister of State for the F oreign, Commonw...

Send us Fan Mail Collaboration: How the UK can bridge the Construction Skills Gap As one of the UK’s biggest economic drivers, the UK construction industry contributes over 6% of the UK’s GVA. Yet despite this being a key UK sector, the construction industry has been identified as one with the most acute skills gaps in the UK, with deficits in traditional trades, green skills and digital skills. ...

Send us Fan Mail How can we better equip young people with essential, future-ready skills? Why are nearly a million young people in the UK not in employment, education, or training, and what role do "durable skills" play in this persistent problem? Join us as we welcome expert guests Andrea Barry from Youth Futures Foundation and Ema Marinho , Early Careers Lead at William Hare , for a c...

Send us Fan Mail Tackle the industry's skills shortages and stay ahead of the curve by listening to this critical episode of Future skills! Whether you're a professional working in the construction and infrastructure industry or an SME looking to access training support, or a large employer needing to collaborate more effectively with providers, this episode is packed with fresh thinking...

Send us Fan Mail As the green skills gap in the UK widens, how can organisations adapt quickly enough to meet the growing demand? In this episode of Future skills , hosts Bryony Kingsland and Gavin O'Meara delve into the realities of the green skills shortage and how collaboration between employers and education providers can bridge this gap. With insights from experts Stephen Knight of MCS C...

Send us Fan Mail  Worried about AI use in your organisation? Discover the safeguarding steps every FE provider can implement today. As AI transforms the workplace, 74% of UK workers express concerns about using AI at work, while 18% of adults lack essential digital skills. In this episode of Future skills , hosts Bryony Kingsland and Gavin O'Meara explore the realities of AI adoption in furth...

Send us Fan Mail Dirty Hands or Digital Minds? Redefining Engineering for the AI Era The UK’s engineering sector is at a crossroads—facing a critical skills shortage, rapid technological advancements, and an aging workforce. In this Future Skills mini-series, we dive into the urgent need for a more agile qualification system, stronger employer engagement, and improved careers guidance to bridge th...

Send us Fan Mail This is the time for apprenticeships to fly." Andrew Pakes MP shares his vision for rebuilding Britain's skills system.  In this conversation, Andrew Pakes, MP for Peterborough and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Apprenticeships, discusses the critical role of apprenticeships in the UK, with host Kirstie Donnelly MBE. He emphasizes the need for a robust app...

Send us Fan Mail Have we fully unlocked the potential of apprenticeships?  Apprenticeships are often hailed as a game-changer for skills development, but are we truly making the most of them? From funding shortfalls to accessibility barriers, are we limiting their impact?  In this special National Apprenticeship Week episode of Navigating the UK Skills Challenges , host Bryony Kingsland sits down...

Send us Fan Mail In partnership with the Lifelong Education Institute, City & Guilds recently published its Productivity report, ‘ Making Skills Work ’, which included research revealing that a significant number of working-age adults and senior business leads identified skills gaps which hampered productivity gains, and did not feel they had the skills required to meet future industrial chall...

Send us Fan Mail "Apprenticeships are a great way to establish a career." In this episode, Patrick Craven, Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships, and Stakeholder Engagement, at City & Guilds speaks with Peter Bedford, the newly elected Conservative MP for Mid Leicestershire about the importance of providing equal opportunities for all, particularly through apprenticeships and pr...

Send us Fan Mail This episode explores the importance of supporting menopause in the workplace, urging employers to create supportive policies, educate staff, and normalise discussions. It addresses common misconceptions, the impact on family dynamics, and practical steps organisations can take to foster inclusivity. The role of leadership and the need for women to educate themselves about their h...

Send us Fan Mail ‘Green skills’ is a collective term for the specific knowledge, abilities and values needed to promote the reduction of negative environmental impact in the workplace. But despite Local Skills Improvement Plans prioritising green skills, and the topic moving steadily up the agenda at many organisations, there is limited clarity about what this could mean in terms of growth, career...

Send us Fan Mail Employability skills – including effective communication and other workplace behaviours, are now essential for those aiming to find employment and progress their careers. The need for employability skills is consistently highlighted by employers, but young people entering the world of work often lack professional skills, and have limited knowledge of their importance at work.   In...

Send us Fan Mail Employability skills – including effective communication and other workplace behaviours, are now essential for those aiming to find employment and progress their careers. The need for employability skills is consistently highlighted by employers, but young people entering the world of work often lack professional skills, and have limited knowledge of their importance at work.   In...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the City & Guilds Insight Podcast series , where we embark on a journey to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the UK today: bridging the gap in our nation's skill shortages. At City & Guilds , our mission is centred on empowering individuals, organisations, and economies through skills development. In this 2024 Insight podcast series, we delve in...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to City & Guilds’ special Labour party conference 2023 podcast, 'In conversation with...' hosted by Kirstie Donnelly MBE , CEO of City & Guilds . Recorded on location on board the Walton Youth Community Project bus, Kirstie is joined by the former Secretary of State for Education and Employment, Lord Blunkett as she dives into some of the issues raised du...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series , a monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name. The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So in this series, we want to showcase the work that various industrie...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series,  a monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So in this series, we want to showcase the work that various industries...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series,  a monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So in this series, we want to showcase the work that various industries...

Send us Fan Mail The latest episode in our Youth Misspent series continues on our journey to explore some of the issues highlighted in our research report, which uncovered the harsh realities for the UK's young people in today's job market.  In honour of International Women's Day, this episode focuses on the challenges and opportunities for young women entering the workforce. Our ho...

Send us Fan Mail This latest episode takes a closer look at the construction sector, delving into its challenges, such as its continued struggle with acute skills shortages, an aging workforce and a need for more diversity as well as looking at the solutions and what kind of career opportunities the sector can offer young people in the UK.    In this episode, Andy is joined by:  Andy Rayner , Dire...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to City & Guilds’ Youth Misspent podcast series, hosted by David Phillips , Managing Director of City & Guilds . A monthly podcast in which we dive into some of the issues raised in our research report of the same name. The research found that the odds are being stacked against young people’s futures and career aspirations – particularly the most disadvantaged. So...