Katy Long, School of Advanced Study, University of London
We know they are there, beyond our borders. The huddled masses; the wretched of the earth; the refugees. We would just prefer not to see them. And when events force us to look – when ghost ships float…
Queensland unemployment recently plummeted – or did it? Whether you’re a Queenslander getting ready to vote in the January 31 state election, or simply someone interested in employment trends in Australia…
David Cameron has announced his aspiration for the UK to become a nation of “full employment”, promising that Britain will have the highest employment rate of any major world economy. This is not the first…
Judging from the first week of campaigning, the 2015 Queensland election is going to be very much about economics – and jobs in particular. On the one hand, Premier Campbell Newman and his Liberal National…
In Australia, there are reports that up to half a million of existing jobs could be taken over by robotics or machines run by artificial intelligence. So with smarter computers taking on more of the work…
On Friday we witnessed images reminiscent of the London Riots from a few years ago. People with a crazed look in their eyes descended on shopping malls to plunder their contents. They fought with others…
There is an ongoing and very heated debate between the unconditional supporters of private equity and their opponents. It’s not hard to see why. On the surface, these investors can often buy fragile companies…
Victorians will soon go to the polls to decide who will be responsible for the management of the state for the next four years. Voters are confronted with many issues on which they must pass judgement…
No company wants to be singled out for having “Victorian” work practices, as Sports Direct has been. Despite the poisonous reputation of zero hours contracts, employers continue to argue they need them…
In the UK, according to the Living Wage Foundation, some 1,000 firms have pledged to offer a living wage, including household names like RBS, ITV and SSE. Earlier this week the annual rate increase was…
During the past two decades, the US casino industry has expanded dramatically. According to the American Gaming Association, there are now nearly 1,000 commercial and tribal casinos in the country. Plans…
The moment an undergraduate student starts a business degree, their mind is already geared to the job offers they hope will be coming thick and fast upon graduation. Yet there is an ongoing mismatch between…
Lord Freud’s comments that some disabled people were “not worth” paying the full minimum wage – that they are somehow worth less than others – have caused widespread offence. But by bringing the issue…
If you’ve ever applied for a job, you know how hard it is to write the perfect cover letter that will make you stand out above all the other applicants. It’s a competitive job market, and more often than…
It’s Work-Life Week, when employers and employees are asked to think about how they juggle their working lives and to perhaps try to strike a balance. In the UK, we’re more likely than others in neighbouring…
When the Youth Contract was launched in 2012, it was described by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg as “a major moment for Britain’s unemployed young people”. With an overall budget of £1bn, the plan was…
Australia’s migration policy has shifted significantly in the past 20 years, leaving a system subject to widespread rorting and controversy. If there is a single lesson to be learnt from the revelations…
(COMMENTS UPDATED) In the lead up to last year’s federal election, the government promised two million new jobs within 10 years. Its focus was on the “five pillar economy” of manufacturing, agriculture…
It’s Open Day season at universities across Australia. Prospective students are pondering whether it’s worth doing a degree or not – and in particular, whether it will increase their chances of gaining…