Lively discussion at #ERSAConf19 today on the future of employment and skills with @ersanews @ERSA_CEO . Thread on key points. First, a quick on-site vlog with my headlines. 1/8 https://twitter.com/Helen_Barnard/status/1199649118223777792

Biggest challenge facing employment support & skills peeps: our high employment rate. Too many people think that's job done on employment policy. It really isn't. 4 million workers in poverty, far too many low paid workers stay stuck at the bottom. 2/8

Sector must shift to getting people into decent jobs & helping them progress. + Too many employers invest v little in low paid staff, training is only H&S and induction, not help to progress. Other challenge: those not yet in work have biggest barriers: caring, disabled etc 3/8

We know pretty well what works for getting people into work if they're not disabled, carers etc. Much less on closing disabled employment gap (stayed around 30% for years) or on progression. Must accelerate learning on that to crack in work poverty. 4/8

All parties promised more spending on adult learning - that needs to be focused on helping workers in poverty progress, and helping those still shut out into good jobs. Likewise Shared Prosperity Fund and local growth funding. BUT need employer action to realise the benefits 5/8

Job design = key factor keeping people in low paid work even when they have skills for more - losing flex working arrangements if you move up shuts out disabled people, parents and carers. Lack of useful flex for low paid workers also means finding time to train is very hard. 6/8

Finally; we may have a recession in the next few years (global economic headwinds as well as UK factors). We must prepare & it'll be different to last time. Nature of jobs has changed (more atypical & insecure jobs, more in-work poverty), people are different... 7/8

...(more disabled people, carers, other disadvantaged groups). More people in poverty, already struggling to cover rent, don't have savings. We must learn from previous success & prepare interventions in labour market, social security & housing market. 8/8

Finally, follow @jrflouise @mike_hawking @dminnes for top @jrf_uk commentary on in-work poverty, challenges and opportunities in the labour market and solutions across the country.