For many years people have aimed at higher incomes - and achieved them. But the shocking fact is... despite being much wealthier; surveys reveal that we're no happier than we were five decades ago.

The Minister for Universities and Skills, David Willetts MP, announced that funding for the Aimhigher programme would cease in July 2011. Commenting on the announcement Sir Alan Langlands, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said that the priority now is to ensure that the valuable lessons learnt from Aimhigher can be built upon for the benefit of future learners.

Rising tuition fees and limited places at UK universities set to fuel this trend for 2011-12 and beyond. A record 8,861 UK students studying in the US in 2009-10, despite the recession in 2008 and anecdotal evidence suggests British student interest is set to rise dramatically in 2011-12 and beyond, as rising tuition and limited places in the UK drive students to study abroad

Skills Minister John Hayes met apprentices at the London launch of IBM's first apprenticeship scheme, aimed at school leavers.Information Technology is one of the many sectors set to benefit from the Government's expanded apprenticeships programme

A new campaign by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to create more than 20,000 apprenticeships this academic year is being launched. The financial services sector is the number one target for the campaign, with City firms being urged to embrace apprentices. 

Inspectors from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' (BIS) Employment Agency Standards inspectorate (EAS) have recently completed a successfully targeted enforcement operation covering the construction sector throughout October.

Business services sector still lags behind the turnover of all other sectors and almost two thirds of small firms (62 per cent) have had to cut costs.

Citizens Advice dealing with three quarters of a million problems from under 25s - up 21 per cent. Charity launches new microsite aimed specifically at young people.

Lord Heseltine is visiting the South West today to encourage local businesses and entrepreneurs to bid for cash from the Government's flagship £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund.

This is proving the old adage that the industry is recession-proof.

A business survey has just reported five established drinks businesses with growth of over 20%, including single malt whisky distiller Glenfiddich*.   In soft drinks Britvic** and AG Barr*** have also talked of being recession-proof.