New FE Skills White Paper published by Government

The Government’s new further education white paper Skills for Jobs: Lifelong learning for opportunity and growth was published in January. In it, it says that,

‘We will ensure employers are at the heart of Post-16 skills, driving technical and higher technical skills provision in their areas. To do this we will:

• Give employers a central role working with further education colleges, other providers, and local stakeholders to develop new Local Skills Improvement Plans which shape technical skills provision so that it meets local labour market needs.
• Pilot Local Skills Improvement Plans in Trailblazer local areas, exploring an approach where they are led by accredited Chambers of Commerce and other business representative organisations in collaboration with local providers; and engage employer and provider groups to ensure we create the most effective models of employer representation before wider rollout.
• Make Strategic Development Funding available in 2021/22 in a number of pilot areas to support colleges to reshape their provision to address local priorities that have been agreed with local employers.
• Ensure government has up-to-date and expert advice on the labour market and national skills gaps from the Skills and Productivity Board
• Align the substantial majority of post-16 technical and higher technical education and training to employer-led standards set by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, so skills provision meets skills need.
• Continue to improve and grow apprenticeships, so more employers and individuals can benefit from them as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee
• Invite proposals through the Strategic Development Fund to establish College Business Centres within further education colleges to work with employers in a designated sector on business development and innovation’.

The complete White Paper can be downloaded here