Employers to Lead on Lifetime Skills and Post-16 Education
Key Contact: Claire Knowles
Author: Adam McGlynn
On 18 May 2021, the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill 2021-22 was placed before Parliament with the hope of revolutionising the training and employability of young people in the UK. The Bill follows January’s Skills for Jobs White Paper which proposed greater involvement from local employers in the design of post-16 education among other recommendations.
The Bill seeks to place local employer representatives at the heart of ‘local skills improvement plans’ which set out skills and expertise that are of use to employers in the region. Education and training providers will then have a greater obligation to review and consider the services they provide in relation to local needs. By establishing greater collaboration, the Department for Education hope to make post-16 training more effective at preparing trainees for local opportunities, boosting local economies. The Bill seeks to support students during this reform by making access to student finance more flexible when pursuing employer-led education and training.
The Bill lays the legal groundwork for further reform and further details are expected as it progresses through Parliament. Accompanying the Bill is the recent announcement of the £83 million Post-16 Capacity fund which is intended to improve teaching facilities where capacity may be a barrier for 16-19 year olds hoping to pursue education and training.
If you would like to keep up to date with the roles of local employer representatives or discuss the role of apprenticeships and qualifications in your business, please contact our Employment Team.
