Those of us that can read will be shocked to learn of the excessive number of children that leave primary and secondary school without the minimal grasp of English literacy. This concern affects more that the just UK, so what is wrong with our modern teaching resources?

Perhaps the greatest concern of the Department of Children Schools and Families (DCSF) is the continuing poor standards in English. Children are leaving primary school with inadequate criterion to perform in secondary school. The transfer can overwhelm children who find continuing education in all subjects a struggle. The net effect is a barrage of children attempting to enter the employment market with inadequate standards in literacy and numeracy.

Chief Executives berate the educational system claiming that to employ the workforce they need they are forced to provide lessons in basic literacy and numeracy to new employees. But the problem is not unique to the UK. Six million Australians also don’t have the necessary basic literacy or numeracy skills needed in the workplace. Skills Australia have just released figures that equate to 40 per cent of Australians in work and 60 per cent of those unemployed have inadequate educational standards.

Technology is a double edged sword in the circumstances. Education can benefit from the myriad of technology based teaching resources that are now available. But technology is also removing the lower order of employment opportunities. The general move in employment is towards jobs requiring higher levels of education leaving the failing children trapped. This is bad news all round as employers, failing to find the correct quality and quantity of employees, will struggle to meet the opportunities emerging in a recovery from a global recession

Keen 2 Learn is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

NOW AVAILABLE
Environmental Careers & Salary Survey 2009 from Allen & York and Environment Analyst.

Allen & York, experts in Sustainable Recruitment, have come together with Environment Analyst market intelligence specialists, to produce the UK’s most comprehensive careers survey.

The results are available at two levels.

Employees’ edition: for topline results and trends.
FREE DOWNLOAD – http://environment-analyst.com/sample

Employers’ edition: detailed results & data for Business Managers
FULL REPORT – http://environment-analyst.com/survey

For more information visit our website:
http://www.allen-york.com/salary_survey

Allen & York is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

AUGUST
2009

The
House of Commons
Environmental
Audit Committee (EAC)
is currently conducting an inquiry into the prospects for green jobs
and policies aimed at increasing employment in environmental
industries. It will consider how the UK can maximise the
environmentally positive opportunities arising from changes in public
spending and how this might help with employment during the
recession.

The
report will also examine other areas, including barriers to creating
green jobs and analyse where the gaps are in the skills base for the
UK environmental industries. Interestingly Tim Yeo – Chairman of the
EAC, has called for the government to lead by example and do more to
achieve its own environmental targets. He told the BBC;

“If
the government expects everybody else to be getting greener, it’s
important that it should lead from the front. It is missing its own
target for cutting carbon emissions from the government’s own
offices, it’s using less renewable energy, not more, and its
recycling rate is falling, not rising.” 5^th
August 2009.

The
EAC
inquiry comes hot-on-the-heels of the publication of the report
‘Green
Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World’
funded by the UNEP (United
Nations Environmental Programme)
. This year Allen
& York were delighted to be recognised as one of the first 100
participants of the UNEP – Climate
Neutral Network (CN Net)
and
therefore took great interest in this recent report which is looking
at green careers across the globe.

The
UNEP report
predicts
that there will be a significant rise in ‘green jobs’
particularly within the Energy industry. This will come from a shift
in public spending from fossil fuels (oil and natural gas) to
renewable energy sources (wind, solar and geothermal power), and that
the 1 million people already working in biofuels, could rise by 12
million by 2030.

New jobs could also result, (the report
suggests) from the expansion of recycling
and environmental engineering (e.g. engineering new eco-vehicles).
Wales as an example has proposed targets to see 70% of domestic &
municipal waste and 90% of construction waste recycled by 2025.

Jane Davidson (Environment,
Sustainability and Housing Minster
- Welsh Assembly) said she was keen to get Wales living within its
resources and pioneer sustainability in the UK; “There
are tremendous opportunities to save money and create high quality
industry in Wales by using the valuable material resources contained
in waste.”

What does this mean in terms of actual
numbers of jobs? Well Ed
Miliband, (UK
Secretary of State
for Energy and Climate Change) predicts
that the environmental industries across Britain could generate an
extra 400,000 jobs by 2015 and the UNEP report predicts that the
manufacture, installation and maintenance of solar panels alone, will
be such a booming industry that it will generate 6.3 million more
jobs worldwide by 2030.

These are
all large, optimistic numbers and some might say (including Tim Yeo
maybe?) that we will have to move a lot faster to reach these
ambitious targets. However, what is does show is another global
commitment to move the world towards a greener, more sustainable
society and that can only mean the creation of more green jobs.

As leaders
in Environmental Recruitment – Allen
& York were asked by
the Independent
Newspaper this month to
give their opinion on the growth of environmental recruitment and the
prospects of career changers looking at moving into this industry.

The
biggest area here,
Allen & York suggest, is people with generic project management
skills, picked up in another industry, such as construction, for
example or sometimes individuals with experience of a specific
business role prove to have easily transferable skills. Allen
& York
managed a move recently for a telecommunications firm employee, whose
role was buying land for new masts. He moved to a role buying land to
site wind turbines.

Other
upcoming areas where strong project management and commercial skills
will enable a shift toward the green agenda are the Carbon Reduction
Commitment or CRCs that come into force in April 2010. There are
certainly insufficient skills in the market to ensure that all
businesses hit their “commitment” effectively so solid project
managers from all sorts of backgrounds are being lined-up within
firms to manage the carbon reductions, if not to set the policy and
actions at the outset. During the downturn this affords some
businesses a fresh area in which to house those redundant from other
sectors. As things pick up however, we will see this trend extend in
to the recruitment of project delivery teams from a wealth of
differing fields.

Another
good example of where transferable skills can be used
is in the field of Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR),
a growth area for many companies. CSR spans all levels, from the
Board to Junior roles and often begins within Marketing and PR teams.
However, when taken on properly by a company it becomes part of the
business and drives every day activity. Often skills will be
acquired ‘on the job’, and people who initially have minimal
environmental training may find themselves obtaining further
qualifications to enhance their newly found skills. The Institute
of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA)
is a good place to find introductory training courses.

As
we approach the Copenhagen summit to find a successor
to the Kyoto agreement, and as more environmental pledges are made by
global governments, we need to ensure that the infrastructure is in
place to deliver on the targets. Allen
& York
anticipate a surge in Environmental job opportunities over the next
few years and look forward to supporting existing environmental
experts, as well as career changers looking to start a new ‘green
career’.

By Joe
Heppenstall and Miriam Heale – Allen & York Ltd

With
the credit crunch taking hold, we’re all looking for a bargain.
Only Fair’s silk dip dyed clutch bags are pretty yet practical as
well as being a very reasonable £15.95.  Handmade in Vietnam
under fair trade conditions you can be sure that the workers have
received a fair working conditions and wages for their labour. 
Big enough to hold all your essentials for a night out and with a
delicate wrist chain so you can keep it close at all times, as well
as adding a touch of glamour to any outfit.

To
view the item click HERE 

Allen
& York were delighted to be recognised as one of the first 100
participants of the Climate Neutral Network (CN Net)
an initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP).

The
UNEP
has been established to promote global action and involvement in
moving towards low carbon economies and societies.

As
a leading specialist Environmental Recruitment Consultancy, Allen &
Yorke recognise and understand the importance of protecting the
environment and promoting best practice, which led to the ‘greening’
of their offices.

Envirowise
– a government initiative providing practical environmental advice
for business – were brought in to offer guidance and identify
further
ways to improve their environmental performance.

Waste
to landfill, energy usage, water usage and transport were areas that
were categorised to have significant environmental impact.

The
main measures take by Allen & York include:

• Establishing
  a wormery to reduce waste to landfill by an estimated 50%.

• Removing
  individual waste bins and introducing communal recycling bins for
  plastic, glass, tins, cans, paper and cardboard.

• Offsetting
  travel emissions to and from work, including client visits.

• Removal
  of water coolers and fitting of charcoal filter to the mains water
  pipe, saving on energy.

• Installation
  of thermostatic controls to heating system, to save energy.

• Ordering
  only recycled toilet roll and fair trade tea & coffee.

• And
  where possible, sourcing from local & environmentally assured
  suppliers.

For
more information visit the
A&Y profile: http://www.climateneutral.unep.org/cnn_members.aspx?m=503

Allen
& York intend to drive their ‘green strategy’ forward into
2009/2010 and are looking for more ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Mark
Allen, the Managing Director
said that;

‘We
are delighted to accept the Climate Neutral Network Award, from such
a prestigious organisation as the UNEP. I strongly believe in our
ongoing corporate social responsibilities towards preserving and
protecting the environment. This award will spur us on to seek
further improvements and continually focus on improving in this
area”.

The
CN Net is helping to achieve significant cuts in greenhouse gas
emissions by making the best knowledge on climate neutrality
available to all and sharing practical experiences. To find out more
visit their website at: www.unep.org

Dartington Schumacher College is an international centre for
education, demonstration and thought leadership in sustainability. We are
seeking to make this new appointment to enable us to address more effectively
the urgent imperatives of climate change, economic crisis and social upheaval.

Living Classroom Educator (part time)

£23,000 (pro rata) – Initially fixed term one year post 0.5

To develop and support the integration of innovative and
sustainable land practices into the learning experience of students and
participants at the college.

For more information, visit www.dartington.org/jobs
or call 01803 847021.

Closing date for all applications: 12noon, Wednesday, 18 May 2009.

Dartington Hall Trust is striving to be an equal opportunities
employer.

BIG BANG!! 09 MAY 09 will be a global day of action and events to mark World Fair Trade Day with a colossal programme of drumming from first light to last light. BIG BANG!! 09 MAY 09 will encircle the earth with the roar of drums and the powerful glow of sustainable consciousness: Hands will beat, feet will tap and times will change.

“World Fair Trade Day is a great idea. Fair Trade is essential for
millions of people who work and struggle for survival everyday. It’s
all about justice and human rights. So why don’t you join me in
supporting World Fair Trade Day 09” Sir Paul McCartney

BIG BANG!! BEAT POVERTY BEAT CLIMATE CHANGE BEAT ECONOMIC CRISIS

110million artisans, farmers, producers and supporters including
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Eddie
Izzard, Stomp, Sigur Ros, Dudu Sarr, Suzanna Owiyo, Carlou D, The
Zawose Family, Honest Jon’s and Ismael Lo have joined together to make
BIG BANG!! 09 MAY 09 a wake-up call for the planet, and promote a Fair
Trade solution to poverty, climate change and economic crisis.

‘Poverty, climate change and economic crisis are from the same place -
greed and ignorance. It’s time we all did something about it. We don’t
have to wreck the future to meet the needs of today. If we truly
believe that Fair Trade is sustainable and effective, then it is the
solution to the financial crisis.” Paul Myers, President, World Fair
Trade Organization

BIG BANG!! ANNIE LENNOX TRAILER http://www.worldfairtradeday09.org/

OPENING UP MINDS AND MARKETS

BIG BANG!! 09 MAY 09 is a rolling programme of drumming events that
kick-off with a solo drummer at first light on World Fair Trade Day in
New Zealand – cross all cultures and traditions from African villages
to Icelandic towns, Asian cities to American farms – to close at sunset
in Samoa.

BIG BANG!! 09 MAY 09 brings performers and supporters, audiences and
producers, brands and businesses, politicians and voters together to
open markets and minds to the reality of sustainable living, made
possible by the transparent, accountable and growing success of Fair
Trade as an alternative economic platform.

BIG BANG!! 09 MAY 09 Events in the UK include a keynote seminar at the
British Library on 6th May and will be followed by music events at the
Africa Centre; Fair Trade markets; and drumming circles and local music
events across the country.

Everyone is invited to register an event on the purpose-built social
networking website with has free marketing downloads:
www.worldfairtradeday09.org. Be the change. Beat a drum. BIG BANG!!

For further information, interviews with the WFTO leaders and
supporters worldwide and further details of events please contact
LOUISE CHANTAL at HOST UNIVERSAL on 020 7849 4500 or email
louise.chantal@hostuniversal.com

Victoria Embankment
28 March at 11am

On 2 April leaders of the world’s biggest economies will meet in London to tackle the recession and financial crisis. Our future depends on creating an economy based on fair distribution of wealth, decent jobs for all and a low carbon world so march with Find Your Feet for Jobs, Justice and Climate Change.

The Put People First platform is an unprecedented collaboration between
a wide spectrum of civil society organisations with millions of members
from across the UK. It sets out the practical steps that the UK
government should take to signal its readiness to lead a process of
fundamental change to put people first by:

• Rebuilding our economy so that it finally delivers decent jobs and public services for all.

• Eradicating the scourge of global poverty and inequality.

• Building a green economy that preserves our global commons and the
  natural life-support systems of the planet, prevents run away global
  warming and ensures a safe, clean environment for our children.

The march assembles at 11am on Victoria Embankment. Visit the Put
People First website www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk for more
information.

All we are saying is give Bees a chance this Xmas

Help fight the decline in the bee population with a range of habitats and homes from ecotopia.co.uk

While Albert Einstein did not say “if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left” there is a lot of truth in this comment. Here are Ecotopia we are seriously worried are the decline in the bee population and encouraging people this Christmas to consider that a bee is not just for summer, they are needed for life – Life of the ecosystem.

We are in serious trouble without our friends. Not only are they the only insects that produce food for humans in the form of honey, they pollinate more than 100 crops as well as 90 percent of all flowering plants. We couldn’t begin to duplicate the work accomplished by bees – every bee makes 10 or more flights per day and each flight lasts more than one hour, visiting between 50 to 100 flowers.

So what can we do to help the bee population survive the current climate? It isn’t difficult to make your yard, garden or even patio space a haven for beneficial bees. You’ll be helping these important insects, as well as bringing more nature to your backdoor.

We are now doing some great deals on bee habitats to encourage customers to support these beautiful creatures. Try our wooden Bumblebee Nester at £19.99 or the ceramic nester at £16.59. These nesters are ideal to attract bees to your garden. Check out our other bee homes like the solitary beehive at £19.53, the insect theatre at £29.31 or pollinating bee log at £14.67.

And don’t forget we have a whole host of Burt’s Bees’ Product for Bee lovers!

Article 13 are CSR experts in the areas of Sustainable Development, Governance, and Corporate Responsibility

Part of our commitment to advocacy is to opinion-form for CSR – identifying the key issues and emerging trends in CSR and sustainability through our work with international business and government, our original research and strong networks.

We are looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic researcher to conduct a body of research in the first half of 2009. If you are interested please contact Fiona Banyard at fionab@article13.com or call 0208 840 4450