Overhaul planned for education and training in England

Ministers are setting out plans to improve vocational education to help ensure that employers get the skilled workforce they need.

Publishing its Skills for Jobs White Paper, the Department for Education said it wanted to dispel the myth that ‘a degree is the only route to success’ and that ‘further and technical education is the second-class option’.

The measures put forward include: business groups working alongside colleges to develop skills plans to meet local training needs; a development fund, with £65 million, to establish new college business centres; giving employers a central role in designing almost all technical courses by 2030, ensuring education and training is linked to skills needed; boosting the quality and uptake of higher technical qualifications by introducing newly approved qualifications from September 2022; and changing the law so that from 2025 people can access flexible student finance to train and retrain throughout their lives.

Additionally, as announced in December, adults without a full level 3 qualification (A-level equivalent) will be given the chance to gain one from April 2021 for free in a range of sectors including engineering, health and accountancy.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "These reforms are at the heart of our plans to build back better, ensuring all technical education and training is based on what employers want and need, whilst providing individuals with the training they need to get a well-paid and secure job."

Organisations representing school and college leaders have welcomed the announcement, but warned that funding to the further education sector needs to be raised to help deliver the proposals.

Kate Green, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commented: “After a decade of reducing opportunities, the Conservatives have finally acknowledged the importance of further education to individuals, employers, and our economy, but these measures will not reverse the damage of a decade of their incompetence.

“Labour has repeatedly said that giving people the ability to retrain and upskill is essential for securing our economy and rebuilding our country. But the reality is that millions of people need training opportunities now, not in a matter of months or years, and the government must act urgently to get them the support they need.”

David Hughes, chief executive of Association of Colleges, said: “This is an ambitious package of measures which can deliver a significant shift in how we support the lifelong education and skills needs of more than half the population and ensure that employers have the skilled people they need. With funding over the coming years to match the welcome policy shifts, this should rebalance the education and skills system to make it work for everyone.

“I’m delighted that this puts skills at the heart of the pandemic build back, and recognises the vital role that colleges and further education will play in levelling up for people and places whilst tackling longstanding concerns about stagnating productivity. Colleges have shown throughout the pandemic an unerring focus on the students, employers and communities they serve – this package shows that the government trusts them to deliver an ambitious and much-needed boost to skills which are vital for our changing economy and labour markets.”