Latest news with #SkillsEngland
The Star
10-08-2025
- Business
- The Star
Making skills-based edu work for all
Inclusivity in all sectors is a must – and it is important that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) providers as well as industry leaders ensure opportunities are accessible to talents regardless of their gender, said the UK Minister of State for Women and Equalities, Baroness Smith of Malvern, Jacqui Smith. Smith, who is also the country's Minister of State for Skills, shared how she is often surprised when employers in the UK tell her that they are facing skill gaps in areas like construction and engineering. 'Then, I look around the workplace and think to myself, well, 'You're not really recruiting from a whole half of the population here, are you?' 'Having said that, there is growing awareness among industry players of the need for gender inclusivity in TVET. 'We have a construction skills mission board in England that I sit on, and it was the employers themselves who said that we've got to be much better at diversifying our training so that we're attracting girls and women into the construction industry; otherwise, we're never going to fill our skills gaps. 'We need to ensure that there are role models that girls will be able to look up to and see that there are women doing really well in construction, engineering and in digital,' she said in an interview with StarEdu. Smith was in the country for an official visit and was attending the Chevening Alumni reception in Kuala Lumpur on July 31. In her role as Minister of State for Women and Equalities, Smith leads efforts on gender equality, women's rights, and the UK equality framework. Women, she stressed, have got a place in all technical and vocational sectors. Citing the UK's industrial strategy, she named key areas where female talent is essential for national growth. 'There is strong potential for women to excel in all sectors, particularly in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, engineering, as well as the digital and creative industries. 'Unless we can get all the talent that we possibly can into these areas, we're not going to achieve as much. 'We want to grow and we know that it's going to take the skills of all our people in order to achieve that growth,' she said, stressing that inclusion is not merely about equity, but also quintessential national success. TVET, a first choice To make TVET a top choice for students, a coordinated effort is needed to reshape perceptions and embed real-world relevance, said Smith. Relevance to real-world jobs is critical, as it makes the pathway into employment feel more tangible and backed by occupational standards for individuals, she added. As Minister of State for Skills, Smith, who is responsible for Skills England, T Levels, Technical Excellence Colleges, and local skills improvement plans, oversees higher technical education, adult learning, apprenticeships, and careers support. 'The curriculum and courses should be co-designed with employers, ensuring a direct link to actual job roles and the industries that will ultimately make use of those skills. 'And to show the relevance of the learning, it's important to give people the opportunity to do placements and actually experience what it's like to work in that particular area,' she said, adding that the government, employers and other stakeholders also need to put out strong messages about the quality of TVET. Shifting perceptions Smith said the British government is actively working to shift public perception about the value and opportunities in vocational routes through nationwide communication campaigns. These initiatives, she shared, aim to inform people about the available TVET pathways, the various options they can pursue, and how these routes can lead to good jobs. 'People in leadership roles, particularly in policy and education, have probably gone through a higher education route and haven't experienced the vocational pathway. 'Having successful leaders who came from vocational backgrounds can help change public perceptions and promote TVET's credibility. 'For example, when I meet chief executives or senior people in companies who have themselves been apprentices and can then talk about it and say, 'Look, I've reached the most senior levels and I've come through a technical and vocational route' – that's very powerful for people,' she said, adding that changing the perception of TVET is a challenge across the world. 'We need to start at an early stage with the right career advice and guidance,' she said. Malaysia–UK collaboration Smith said she is feeling really enthusiastic about collaborations between the UK and Malaysia – particularly in education. 'I think we already have common values, our belief in education, our people-to-people connections, and our commitment to democracy. 'There are lots of things that would bring us together, but education is a really good opportunity to make a bridge,' she said. As part of her visit, Smith participated in the UK-Malaysia Skills Dialogue at TWI South East Asia to discuss TVET and explore opportunities for deeper collaboration between UK and Malaysian training providers. 'People increasingly spend their working lives in a global economy. 'Countries like Malaysia and the UK that are focused on increasing our income and our growth will have a shared need for developing our TVET. 'And that's something where we can sort of learn from each other, teach each other, and where it's appropriate, actually have active collaboration,' she said. — BY JAAYNE JEEVITA
The Herald Scotland
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
We're heading for a two-tier system of electrical workers
Skills England, a government agency of the UK's Department for Education, confirmed the funding rise earlier this month to The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP), which delivers skills projects and careers information for the electrotechnical industry. TESP said: 'Skills England has advised us that the Secretary of State has accepted its funding recommendation of £23,000 for the Installation & Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship. This represents an increase of £3,000 on the current funding band.' In Scotland funding for apprenticeships has stalled for over seven years and has actually reduced by more than 30 per cent in real terms due to inflation. In Scotland, electrical apprenticeships are offered through Skills Development Scotland's Modern Apprenticeship programmes, which provide paid, on-the-job training programmes that combine work with industry-recognised qualifications. There is a clear danger of a two-tier system, with Scottish industry losing out to England's, as well as a very real risk that we will lose a generation of skilled electrical talent when we can least afford it. The upshot is we cannot begin to have a renewables future in Scotland without electricians, so the Scottish Government must find the cash. To exacerbate this situation, we believe the UK Government's tough new proposals on immigration raise the possibility that Scotland will be increasingly at risk of skilled contractors heading south to replace foreign workers. We believe the proposals to raise the qualification standards for foreign workers could see a significant number abandoning the UK and returning home, with Scottish construction workers flooding south to fill the resulting shortage south of the Border. Raising the thresholds for skilled workers may seem on the face of it to be a laudable aim, but it is likely to be detrimental to recruitment in the major UK population areas and that means workers will be sucked in from Scotland and elsewhere. In areas such as London, it is estimated that 50 per cent of the workforce is from abroad, so if they leave, Scottish workers are likely to flood south to take up highly-paid jobs, leaving the domestic construction sector in crisis. This could leave Scotland bereft of skills, with no opportunity to top up from abroad, and could lead to the worst of all possible worlds just as we need these skills to fulfil our transition to a net zero economy. Construction is a vital pillar of the Scottish economy, supporting infrastructure development, housing delivery and the green transition, yet it is experiencing a persistent and growing skills shortage already. This ticking time bomb could leave Scotland without enough skilled workers to build the country we need. And while there may be little we can do about immigration, Scotland absolutely must not be left behind when it comes to apprenticeship funding. Alan Wilson is Managing Director of SELECT, Scotland's largest construction trade association.
New Statesman
13-06-2025
- Business
- New Statesman
AI, employment, and the UK's industrial strategy
Photo by WPA Pool / Getty AI has emerged as both a panacea and the harbinger of a dystopian future. For policymakers crafting Britain's industrial future, the challenge is fully burnishing one side of that coin, while minimising exposure to the other. Nowhere is this more evident than in the UK's Invest 2035 strategy, setting out a vision of economic renewal rooted in advanced technologies and regional growth. 'Jobs will be at the heart of our modern industrial strategy,' wrote Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in their foreword to the strategy's draft consultation. At the same time, it promises 'an ambitious approach to grow the AI sector and drive responsible adoption across the economy'. The question is how, or whether, those two ambitions can fully succeed in tandem. PwC's latest Global AI Jobs Barometer, published in early June, analysed close to a billion job postings across six continents. It found that demand for roles with high AI exposure expanded at a slower pace than those less affected by AI. The gap between these groups has widened since 2020, with jobs least exposed to AI experiencing a surge in listings. Invest 2035 focuses on eight 'growth-driving' sectors that are undoubtedly seeing greater AI penetration: advanced manufacturing; clean energy; the creative industries; defence; digital and technologies; financial services; life sciences; and professional and business services. PwC's report also found that roles with substantial AI exposure have undergone significantly more changes in skill requirements over the past five years. If jobs are to be at the heart of this new economy, one major challenge is how the UK equips its current and emerging workforce to fully engage. The government's primary response to such questions lies with Skills England. Formally launched in 2024, the body is tasked with coordinating a fragmented post-16 skills system, and aligning it more closely with national economic priorities – including, crucially, the opportunities and risks posed by AI. With a mandate to 'drive forward a skills system that meets the needs of employers, learners and the wider economy', it is a key lever in delivering not just more jobs, but better ones. 'Skills England… will ensure that our workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to meet the demands of the modern economy,' Phil Smith, Skills England chair, told MPs in a parliamentary debate in February. The idea of lifelong learning – once a political platitude – has become a central pillar of this transition. As the economic landscape shifts faster than traditional education systems can keep pace with, workers increasingly need access to flexible, modular training that fits around existing jobs and responsibilities. Yet, as the IPPR has pointed out, the UK's investment in adult skills still lags behind many OECD peers. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe In a widely discussed 2024 report on AI and labour market disruption, the IPPR argued that the UK faces a binary future. 'Already existing generative AI could lead to big labour market disruption or it could hugely boost economic growth. Either way, it is set to be a gamechanger for millions of us,' said senior economist Carsten Jung. In that sense, industrial strategy cannot be separated from social policy. The government's proposed Advanced British Standard – a unified post-16 qualification intended to replace A-levels and T-levels – must prepare young people not only with subject knowledge but with the adaptability and analytical skills required in a rapidly evolving labour market. As automation touches roles from radiology to retail, the core employability question shifts from what you know to how quickly you can learn. That shift is not evenly distributed across society. In towns with industrial legacies or fragile labour markets, AI is more likely to displace than create jobs – unless there is targeted, place-based intervention. Invest 2035 makes regional rebalancing a core ambition. But the delivery depends on ensuring that skills provision reaches not just growing tech clusters but also under-served communities. Community learning providers like the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) have a role not just in teaching but in building confidence and trust – especially for older or insecure workers who may feel alienated by the pace of technological change. WEA chief executive Simon Parkinson has called for long-term policy and funding stability so providers can scale up their work: taking training 'to where people are, not where policy is most comfortable'. There are, however, lingering gaps between strategy and delivery. While government rhetoric supports 'responsible adoption' of AI, it remains vague on how to mitigate job displacement in sectors most vulnerable to automation. Some analysts argue that Invest 2035, like its predecessors, risks overstating short-term innovation gains while underestimating longer-term disruption. Meanwhile, employer responsibility remains a crucial, under-addressed issue. If businesses are to adopt AI in a way that benefits workers, not just bottom lines, they must be incentivised to invest in staff retraining. At present, many treat upskilling as an externality – a public good best delivered by someone else. Models such as Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), designed to give employers a greater role in shaping local post-16 training, have potential, but questions have been raised in regards to consistency of ambition and effectiveness. Without stronger national coordination, these initiatives may amount to well-meaning but fragmented efforts, rather than transformative change. Indeed, the overarching challenge is neither technological nor economic – it is political. AI, like past waves of automation, will not distribute its rewards evenly or inevitably. The outcome will depend on the state's ability to shape markets and institutions in the public interest. 'AI… will transform jobs, destroy old ones, create new ones, trigger the development of new products and services and allow us to do things we could not do before,' Jung writes in 2025's The New Politics of AI: Why Fast Technological Change Requires Bold Policy Targets. 'But given its immense potential for change, it is important to steer it towards helping us solve big societal problems.' Invest 2035 boasts similarly grandiose ambitions. Its success will not rest on ambition alone, however, but on how convincingly it connects the dots between technology, training and trust. For AI and jobs to serve as dual engines of growth, the UK must resist the temptation to treat them as separate problems. They are, in reality, two faces of the same future. Related
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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
UK unveils £3 billion plan to train 120k workers, cut reliance on migrants
The UK government has unveiled a sweeping £3 billion skills initiative aimed at training 120,000 British workers in key sectors such as construction, engineering, and social care. The plan is part of efforts to reduce reliance on foreign labour while addressing workforce shortages. Announced by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson on Monday (local time), the Labour government's 'skills revolution' includes 30,000 new apprenticeship starts during this Parliament and is backed by a 32 per cent rise in the Immigration Skills Charge, a levy on employers hiring overseas workers. Currently, one in eight people aged 16-24 in England is not in education, employment, or training, the government said. The investment aims to equip domestic workers with essential skills, boost productivity, and lay the foundations for long-term, inclusive economic renewal. This funding is expected to create 45,000 additional training opportunities, particularly in sectors hit hard by post-Brexit labour shortfalls. 'We're backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and thrive,' said Phillipson. 'A skilled workforce is key to a stronger economic future.' Skills England, the national skills body, will coordinate with employers and local leaders to shape future training delivery. From apprenticeships to bootcamps: Key plans The package, part of Labour's broader 'Plan for Change' agenda, includes: A shift in apprenticeship funding away from master's-level training (Level 7) from January 2026 to prioritise lower-level courses. Launch of 13 new Level 2 construction courses under the Free Courses for Jobs scheme. £14 million in devolved adult skills funding for construction, supporting 5,000 adult learners. £136 million for Skills Bootcamps in 2025-26, with training for over 40,000 learners. £100 million over four years to expand Construction Skills Bootcamps. Ten new Technical Excellence Colleges in construction, set to open in September 2025. Migration focus: English reforms, tighter residency rules The reforms come as political pressure grows to reduce net migration. Reports suggest Labour is also seeking to counter the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform party while boosting growth and delivering 1.5 million homes. Measures such as stricter English language requirements and tighter residency rules for foreign workers have also been announced in recent weeks. Are training schemes enough? According to Bloomberg, business leaders warn that training schemes alone can't immediately fill workforce gaps. An ageing workforce and the time required to train new workers could create short-term bottlenecks in construction and care. A Boston Consulting Group report recently cautioned that Britain's supply chains could buckle under the £900 billion infrastructure investment planned by 2029 unless migration rules are eased for shortage roles. Migration trends: UK sees sharp decline Net migration to the UK fell by almost half in 2024, dropping from 860,000 in 2023 to 431,000, according to data from the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the largest annual drop on record, driven by new rules limiting family members on work and study visas and international students leaving the country after Covid-19. The policies were introduced by the Conservative government under Home Secretary James Cleverly, who aimed to reduce overall migration by tightening visa rules for dependents.
The Independent
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Department for Education stifling efforts to boost skills, warns Andy Burnham
Resistance within the Department for Education (DfE) to devolving powers to regional mayors is stifling efforts to boost skills and risks becoming an 'anti-growth policy', Andy Burnham has said. The mayor of Greater Manchester told MPs his counterparts in other parts of the country share his view that local efforts to improve technical education and boost the workforce are being stifled by the department, which he said is 'wasting time' over a crucial way to boost economic growth. During an appearance before the Commons Business and Trade Committee, Mr Burnham was asked what had been his 'biggest frustrations' during his term as mayor. He said the 'evidence is clear' that the current model of devolution in Greater Manchester is the right one and delivers economic growth. But Mr Burnham added: 'The frustration, to answer your question: the biggest is the Department for Education, without a shadow of doubt. 'Why are we remaking the case for devolution to this department now? I've been doing it for eight years. 'It stands to reason that you can create stronger technical education pathways when you can work with actual employers in your city region who will be employing the young people, or the older workers, who will come through. 'We are the only ones who can create that pathway. We are the only ones that could commission our colleges for the actual sectoral strengths of our economy, and yet it still seems that is resisted. 'I think the kind of position of the Department for Education on this issue risks becoming an anti-growth policy. It risk pulling back the growth that we've got.' Greater Manchester Combined Authority, currently has full control of an apprenticeships and adult skills budget, but is yet to secure devolution of 16-19 education spending. Mr Burnham has created the 'Greater Manchester Baccalaureate', which he describes as an 'equal alternative to the university route', but he was clearly frustrated at perceived resistance to his plans in Whitehall. The latest official figures show that 11.2% of young people in the North West of England are not in education, employment or training. Mr Burnham added: 'We know our employers. I'm convening our employers to get those work placements, to really create those extra pathways for our young people, and to fell now that we are still having to argue for that and get permission to do that just seems to me to be wasting time.' Greater Manchester Combined Authority has created an online portal called Beeline, which enables users to search for training and educational routes to certain jobs in the region. Mr Burnham said the portal currently shows about 450 vacancies for software developers. He added it would not be a surprise if the high level of young people missing out on job opportunities continues if a 'top-down' approach without local flexibilities continues. Mr Burnham conceded that the department had 'moved a bit… down the path with us' and he welcomed the potential of Skills England, which will work with combined authorities, businesses and training providers to boost jobs when it is launched this year. 'But I just want to leave the committee in no doubt, the reason there's urgency in my voice is we're growing fast, but we could quickly have a vacancy problem that turns investors away. That is why it is mission-critical for this Government,' he added. The Department for Education has been approached for comment.
