The Week in Words
Gems of Wisdom and absolute rubbish, together at last under one clichéd heading. What’s not to love!
We want to provide easier financing to companies that have a solid business model and good growth prospects,” – German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble announces that German state-owned lender KfW Group will give the Spanish development bank ICO cheap loans.
“High-quality rigorous vocational education is essential to future prosperity and the life chances of millions” – UK Skills Minister Matthew Hancock putting the hard sell on the Government’s plan to give technical courses the same status as A-levels.
“It is right that pupils have a choice of taking new vocational courses, but Michael Gove needs to reassure parents that it will be a gold standard to sit alongside A-levels and not an afterthought” – Labour MP Tristam, indulging in classic opposition politics, suggests that placing the UK’s future prosperity in Michael Gove’s hands may not be a smart move.
“Youth wages exist for good reason – to provide that first important entry point into the workforce and the development of basic employment skills that will be carried through a person’s career,” – Stephen Cartwright, Chief Executive of New South Wales Chamber of Commerce, on why young people should be paid less!
‘Arab citizens across the Middle East will now think twice before contemplating support for a political organisation which is seen as incompetent when solutions to youth unemployment, social cohesion, political reform and economic regeneration are needed.’ – World Review author Bernard Siman comments on this week’s seismic events in Egypt. The start of a new chapter?
“We believe that in the next two years, about €20 to 21 billion are needed urgently,” – German Opposition leader, Peer Steinbrück, on why the €8 billion reserved for the EU’s Jobs Initiative is not enough, or even near to enough.
“A nice summit in Berlin with so many people coming – and with many of them probably applauding Germany for its readiness now to combat youth unemployment – is nice for Merkel, two and a half months before the election,” – Is economist Holger Schmieding being a touch cynical?, it’s hard to tell.
“Those younger workers that have been out of college for the last three years ….. have to compete against those who are coming out of college today and tomorrow.” – Constantin Gurdgiev, a lecturer in economics at Trinity College Dublin, predicts a future jobs-based Hunger Games.
“When things start to become dysfunctional, it is the job of politicians to remedy the situation”. – Angela Merkel on how politicians like to keep themselves busy. Create a crisis…..sure it’ll give us something to do!
“Youth unemployment has been much too high in some countries for many years and now the crisis has driven it even higher,” – Angela Merkel on the great job politicians have done remedying dysfunction. Way to keep it consistent Angela!
“High youth unemployment is not inevitable, even during an economic crisis; it is the product of the interaction between economic context and particular policies.” – Angel Gurria, the OECD secretary general, blames the policies. Who is in charge of those again, Angela?
“One year and another 1.7 million unemployed later, Europe is proposing the same recipe,” – The Spanish Newspaper, El País, suggests that the EU is running out of ideas.
“It’s great news for the Class of 2013,” – Martin Birchall of High Fliers reacts to news that Britain’s 100 leading employers have 4.6% more jobs for new graduates than in 2012.
