iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Stephen Isherwood

Jim Dickinson @jimdickinson.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

All day long all I've heard is spurious theories about the NEETs rise. None of which are the obvious answer... wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/...

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

"There was not enough data to publish information specifically for this course. This may be because the course size is too small or not enough students responded to the survey. This does not reflect on the quality of the course." (From the Discover Uni website.) wonkhe.com/blogs/why-ha...

wonkhe.com

Why has the OfS downgraded graduate outcomes?

Stephen Isherwood explains that despite the challenges of measuring career outcomes, they remain central to student interests, value for money and informed choice

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Why do all the scammers who phone me pretend to be from O2? Either that or O2 have the worst cold-call sales strategy on the planet.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

It's all the comments that make this such a giggle....

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

So instead of talking about the real issues that need addressing re careers for young people and access to work, we are arguing about numbers. Better reporting leads to better debate.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Same PR strategy as last year when they said that entry level jobs were down 30% due to Chat GPT. The data is job adverts not actual hiring or vacancies. Ditto when James Reed uses his website data to make the same claims. It's a tough market, but not this tough.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Articles like this are why I read less and less general press commentary nowadays. Reading Sam's output is a far more productive use of my time. I learn't quite a bit from the comments too.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

No to Williams? They did a lot with things like adaptive suspension (although they didn't invent it) and other driver aids like traction control. There could be an argument that they used digital technology in a way others hadn't previously - even though most of it was then banned.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I tried to do it again but I think I need to clear my cookies. Quite a few my 'not sure' responses are really 'it depends', e.g. respect institutions even if they slow down change. But if you were to weight my 'it depends' I'd mostly lean right of centre. I'm over thinking it aren't I...

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

My family dealt with the '76 heatwave pretty well - but we had just been living in Africa for four years.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Zero for everything. I thought I'd get at least some points as I used to be a conservative activist and I quite like free markets. Am I sat so in the centre that nothing moves the dial? Oh dear.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

This ranks as possibly the most interesting podcast I've ever listened to. Shows how we pay almost no attention to the long term forces at play open.spotify.com/episode/4tFM...

open.spotify.com

The Rise and Fall of Homo Sapiens

Past Present Future · Episode

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

University marketing depts who come to me for data to support their masters campaigns are always disappointed when I tell them c5% of employers look for a postgrad qualification from applicants

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I agree that more employers should do this. But there is also the problem that some schools won't answer the phone when it rings. Many will, but many won't, either because they don't have a person to manage work experience or don't see it as a priority.

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Reposted by Stephen Isherwood

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

I'm in @theobserveruk.bsky.social today on why a lot of the AI/jobpocalypse debate misses the point. observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

He must have read your post David :)

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Grad vacancies to GDP since 2000. Easy to spot the 2002 dotcom bubble burst , the financial crash, & covid. What is different about 2025/6 is that vacs have dropped even though there has been some GDP growth. Historically, employers over-index on grad hiring when the economy is growing.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

AI is reshaping the skills profile of graduate/school-leaver roles: greater emphasis on adaptability. Read a summary of our latest report here: ise.org.uk/knowledge/in...

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Although not in Saffron Walden I'm pleased to say where there is a really strong independent group - Residents Uttlesford 2.8k, Reform and Tories 1.3k each.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

I do hope History is taught much better now. My expereince was dreary as hell - our 'teacher' conducted the entire lesson by writting notes on the board whilst reading them out loud, we just had to sit in silence and copy them till the bell went. Later in life, I've discovered I quite like history.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

This slide on finance sector skills backs up what the ISE has been saying for a while - more and more jobs are becoming higher skilled. Also, for the third time in two days, adaptability flagged as the biggest skill need for employers (our new development survey also says the same thing).

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

And I think the 'getting kids through the sytem' and 'nobody focused on desination' comments are linked. Although I'd argue there is one destination focus: HE.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

This really stood out for me: “The education system sees its purpose as rightly driving up standards, getting kids through the system, delivering the qualifications that are needed to compete in the labour market. Great, but nobody’s focused on destination and outcomes, or indeed work readiness”

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

If you use the overhead walkways through the Barbican it can make your walk more pleasant.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

What often gets ignored is that most employers don't recruit by degree discipline in the UK - you can be a lawyer without a law degree. This is very different to most other countries. In many ways this flex is a good thing, but it also disconnects courses from the jobs market, which is problematic.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

2/2 Agree with you Iain about the problem of prioritising uni through 6th form - some schools mandate that every student completes a UCAS form. There is also an 'everything everywhere all at once' element to this, attractive alternative routes are needed if the degree/uni route is to be dialed down.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

State led decisions make me nervous, would rather avoid caps. I'd explore much better market info to prospective students (and the OfS should priortise this); break the monopoly of the words degree and university - a nursing degree isn't the same as a history degree but there is a need for both. 1/2

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

I'm changing my mind on this too...

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Reposted by Stephen Isherwood

Rachel Cunliffe @rmcunliffe.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

This is such a facile argument. Sure, let's have a conversation about how universities should be funded. But let's also talk interest rates, debt that functions like an extra tax, repayment thresholds, and what that's actually doing to millions of young people who did everything they were told to do

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Thanks for inviting me onto your podcast Tom. Lots to unpick on the grad market at the moment.

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Reposted by Stephen Isherwood

Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 29/01/2026

Spoke to Shleagh Fogarty yesterday sbout why the Chancellor is wrong: our “student loan” system is not remotely fair. It’s regressive and embedding inter and intra generational wealth inequality. It’s not a loan system, it’s a bad grad tax in all but name. youtu.be/uOC6Arrf2us?...

youtu.be

Student loans are 'fair', says Rachel Reeves, amid backlash | LBC

YouTube video by LBC

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

One of the nice things about moving near to Cambridge is that I can now get to the university's Institute of Astronomy weekly public talks. Tonight was the first time I've been that the sky was clear enough for them to get the telescopes out.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

A lot to be said also for how this helps across the board. Junior Ish' is a straight A/A* student, has taken a gap year, redone UCAS, and is probably going to a different uni/course.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

There is a lot in this. But what to do about it. Personally, school didn't work for me, an ex-poly took me in during my mid 20s, I discovered I loved learning, and off I went. I doubt I'd have done this under the current fees system. So for those like me, blocks based on grades is a bad thing.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Just done an IV for LBC on grad jobs market. Can't help wondering why the NUS are MIA - they should be a pain in the govt's backside right now on tuition fees. If farmers can get changes to the tax system by parking their tractors in Westminster, students should be doing similar.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Smart article from the FT on the graduate jobs market (and not just becuase the ISE data is quoted). I still think the impact of AI on jobs is overblown - at the moment. www.ft.com/content/c894...

ft.com

The great graduate job drought

Economic uncertainty and the arrival of AI have brought a reduction in entry-level roles, with potentially disastrous consequences for young people

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Rule 8 is the one for me - avoid the algorithm feed. I occasionally venture into it but always regret it.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

I can't think of anything that makes me chortle as much as @in-otter-news.bsky.social

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

What can we do as a nation to sort out EE? If we are supposedly a sophisticated country, how is that such staggering, mind-numbing incompetence (and dishonesty) is permitted.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

This please: "...what if a group of bright things, young and old, sat down and wrote down a plan to make this country safe, secure and prosperous in the next 20 to 30 years. What are the things we need to do? You’ll find none of that in any of the current manifestos."

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

@lmicharlie.bsky.social data always good. Our data (ISE) is more skewed to the corporate market. This is data from grad outcomes on all roles.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

The top rated comment on this article is an excellent rebuttal to Marshall - I'd like to think he'll read it and take a moment to reflect.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

I think both 'degree' and 'apprenticeship' have become pretty useless descriptors as they cover such a wide range of totally diffferent pathways. Both the national debate and individual student understanding suffer as a result.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Our annual survey out today. Grad vacancies down 8%, non-grad (mostly apprenticeships) up 8%. But grad hires are more in volume so overall early career market down 5%. ise.org.uk/knowledge/in...

ise.org.uk

Apprenticeships rise as graduate vacancies drop 8%

ISE’s Student Recruitment Survey 2025 launches with the latest data on the entry-level jobs market.

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Stephen Isherwood @stish.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

I think what those who don't pay to much attention to politics hear isyet another leadership soap opera. This never does politicians any favours, but for Labour to be playing leadership games this early on is electoral suicide in my book. Those paying only some attention will switch off totally.

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