Why ‘Skills, skills skills’ is key to unlocking the recovery – Robert Halfon

I believe that the same should apply to all of us in our ambitions for the next generation, as we descend the coronavirus mountain.

As job losses inevitably increase, now is the time to rebuild our country as an apprenticeship and skills nation, ensuring that everyone, whatever their background, can climb the education ladder of opportunity, with the aim of jobs, skills and prosperity at the top.

To address social injustice, we need three guarantees: a catch-up guarantee, an apprenticeship guarantee and an adult learning guarantee.

A catch-up guarantee: Millions of children missed out on any learning during the pandemic, with vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils impacted the most. These children must have the promise of academic and pastoral catch-up, if we are to avoid an ice age in their education.

The £1bn programme announced by the Education Secretary will make a difference. Yet, even before the lockdown, our most disadvantaged learners faced the daunting prospect of an 18-month attainment gap by the time they sat their GCSEs. The Government must guarantee that extra tuition and mentoring is not only for the pandemic, but part of a long-term catch-up plan.

An apprenticeship guarantee: The Prime Minister’s “opportunity guarantee” is a step forward. Billions will be used to transform the tough training and jobs market that school-leavers and the unemployed face. Companies will be offered incentives to employ young people, train them and give them apprenticeships.

Again, however, this cannot be seen as a solution for the short-term crisis. Our young people need a fully-fledged apprenticeship guarantee.

Even without the challenges brought by Covid-19, the fourth industrial revolution is coming – 1.5 million jobs are under threat of automation, with young people’s livelihoods at the greatest risk. PwC suggested that 28 per cent of jobs taken by 16 to 24-year-olds could be automated by the 2030s. Furthermore, before the pandemic, the number of apprenticeship-starts in the first half of the last academic year dropped 15 per cent for those aged 16 to 19 years.

“Guarantee” is a bold pledge for apprenticeships, but I believe it to be possible. Apprenticeship levy reform for big businesses in Yorkshire would mean that its main use would be to employ 16 to 24-year-olds – or those from disadvantaged backgrounds. For non-levy payers, we should look at using the £3bn Skills Fund towards covering the cost of training apprentices.

In Parliament, I’ve urged Michael Gove to increase public sector bodies’ target for employing apprenticeships which, at the moment, is a measly 2.3 per cent. Moreover, public procurement should be conditional on the number of apprentices these companies employ.

Yorkshire is fortunate to have some remarkable universities, FE and HE colleges, but they should be encouraged to increase their degree apprenticeships offer. My hope is that 50 per cent of students going to university will be doing degree apprenticeships – earning while they learn, without being saddled with debt, acquiring skills and securing a high-quality job upon completion.

An adult learning guarantee: Every adult from a disadvantaged background should also have the chance to climb that skills ladder of opportunity. Here are three solutions:

First, the Government and local authorities should work to establish an adult community learning centre in every town.

Second, every adult could be given lifelong learning account vouchers to spend on training, either at these community centres, through further education or providers like the Workers’ Educational Association.

Third, just as businesses are given Research and Development tax allowances, so too should they receive a Skills Credit for retraining their existing workers, provided that it is helping to meet the skills needs of our country.

However, these guarantees are not enough in themselves; none of them will work without evangelisation from the top of Government, from all community, business and civil society leaders.

If the NHS can have a 10-year plan, surely education and skills should have one too, setting out a strategic vision, funding and policy proposals. Our country’s anthem should not just be “Build, build, build” but “Skills, skills, skills”.

There is nothing more important – and no greater ladder – to help young people pull themselves out of the coronavirus quagmire. Let’s heed the words of Golda Meir, be optimistic and use this opportunity to truly build an apprenticeship and skills nation that is second to none.

Robert Halfon is chair of Parliament’s Education Select Committee and a Conservative MP.

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