Insights from the Edge

A  series of 20 minute podcasts from Edge Foundation designed to be heard over coffee or a commute exploring how education and the world of work can better serve young people and meet skills and social needs in an ever-changing world.What is meaningful modern work experience? How do we re-imagine work experience for the 2020s? In this episode we’re marking The Careers & Enterprise Company’s employer pledge week. How can we encourage employers, including SMEs, to offer work experience placements for young people?Edge Executive Director Olly Newton is joined by John Yarham, from The Careers & Enterprise Company, the national body for careers education and Chris Mayne from Electech Innovation Cluster, a group of electronic and electrical engineering SMEs based in Lancashire.Teacher encounters: https://www.edge.co.uk/practice/practice-library/teacher-externships/

In 2022, the Council of Europe launched a project on the Reference Framework for Competencies for Democratic Culture in Vocational Education and Training in Europe, or VET. Its broad aim was to support member states to develop a culture of democracy in their VET systems. In October 2025 the Council published Learning Democracy in Vocational Education and Training in Europe: An Anthology and Edge commissioned a series of essays based on the chapters in the Anthology and written by the same authors. This episode is hosted by Dr Andrea Laczik, Director of Research at Edge Foundation, with one of those authors, Søren Kristensen, Researcher Techne, Denmark, and Salvador Sala, Head of the European Space for Citizenship Education Unit, Council of Europe, France.

A new series of 20 minute podcasts from Edge Foundation designed to be heard over coffee or a commute exploring how education and the world of work can better serve young people and meet skills and social needs in an ever-changing world.Ahead of "Breaking Barriers" a collective event from FE News in partnership with Edge Foundation, this episode looks at what we can learn from the day to day experiences of young people not in employment, education or training, otherwise known as NEETS. Edge Executive Director Olly Newton is joined by Hannah Barnett, Head of Social, Education and Health Hub at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and Nicolette Campbell, Former Head of Programme & Design for a GM youth employment charity.

A new series of 20 minute podcasts from Edge Foundation designed to be heard over coffee or a commute exploring how education and the world of work can better serve young people and meet skills and social needs in an ever-changing world. In this episode we reflect on the Government’s approach to V Levels, announced earlier this week. V Levels are a new form of post-16 qualification which will replace the range of different technical qualifications available for students after they finish their GCSEs. They will be equivalent to one A Level, allowing students to mix and match A-levels and V-levels.Host Sorah Gluck, Edge Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager, is joined by guests Noni Csogor from the Sixth Form Colleges Association and Paul Steer from OCR. (00:00) Introduction(01:03) Overview of Level 3 reform(05:05) What this means for AAQs(07:28) Timelines(10:07) The “myth” of complexity?(12:25) Rationale behind first three subjects(17:16) Reflections on overall reforms(21:36) Close

A new series of 20 minute podcasts from Edge Foundation designed to be heard over coffee or a commute exploring how education and the world of work can better serve young people and meet skills and social needs in an ever-changing world.It’s National Apprenticeship Week, so we’re shining a light on apprenticeships in SMEs in line with our ongoing campaign, Apprenticeships Work. We're pleased to be joined by Anna Morrison CBE, Founder and Director of Amazing Apprenticeships, and Christa Bridges who's just completed an apprenticeship at Pebblepad, a software SME in the West Midlands and is an official Apprentice Ambassador....(00:00) Introduction(00:14) Policy context(05:54) Changing attitudes towards apprenticeships(08:13) Christa’s apprenticeship journey(10:52) Benefits of working in an SME(15:51) Advice to young people considering apprenticeships(20:17) Celebrating NAW 2026(21:20) Close

A new series of 20 minute podcasts from Edge Foundation designed to be heard over coffee or a commute exploring how education and the world of work can better serve young people and meet skills and social needs in an ever-changing world.Episode 1 - A look ahead to what's on the way for skills and FE in 2026 hosted by Sorah Gluck, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Edge, with LJ Rawlings, CEO of Youth Employment UK, and Ben Rowland, CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers. (AELP)(00:00) Introduction(00:20) Youth Guarantee(06:44) Apprenticeship reform(13:25) V Levels(18:34) Hopes for 2026