Employers to design almost all technical courses by 2030 in Gavin Williamson's post-16 skills shake-up

Businesses are to be given a central role in designing almost all technical courses by 2030, the Government has announced as part of its plans to reform post-16 education and training in England.

The new Skills for Jobs White Paper means new powers could be introduced to allow Ministers to intervene when colleges fail to deliver good outcomes for the communities they serve, the Department for Education (DfE) has said.

Under-fire Gavin Williamson's department is proposing to overhaul the accountability system so that funding is better targeted at supporting high-quality education and training provision which is relevant to the labour market.

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And unveiling the plans today, Mr Williamson said the reforms will ensure all technical education and training is "based on what employers want and need"

Business groups, including Chambers of Commerce, will work alongside colleges to develop tailored skills plans to meet local training needs; supported by a £65 million Strategic Development Fund.

The proposals also give employers a central role in designing almost all technical courses by 2030, to ensure that the education and training people receive is directly linked to the skills needed for real jobs.

They aim to put an end to the misconception that a degree is the only route to success and a good job, the DfE said.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson pictured in Leeds.Education Secretary Gavin Williamson pictured in Leeds.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson pictured in Leeds.
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Mr Williamson said: "Our reforms to post-16 education will focus on the skills people and business need for our economy to grow.

"As we recover from the pandemic, our Lifetime Skills Guarantee will ensure everyone has the confidence and opportunity to gain the skills they need to progress at any stage of their lives.

"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, no matter where they live, and in the sectors that are critical to our future economic success."

But organisations representing school and college leaders have called on Ministers to increase the overall funding provided to the further education (FE) sector to help boost the provision on offer.

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Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: "We continue to be concerned about the severe underfunding of the post-16 sector, which plays such a vital role in delivering the technical and vocational education that the government says it is so keen to boost, as well as academic routes which are also of the utmost importance."

In November, an Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report concluded that FE colleges and sixth forms have seen the largest falls in funding of any education sector since 2010-11.

Andrea Delay, UK Head of Business & Professional Services at Barclays Corporate Banking and chair of the Education and Skills Committee of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership said:“We welcome that in the recovery our Chambers of Commerce here in the North will play a key role in focusing their local colleges on employer need.

"The focus to decarbonise our economy as well as deliver the recovery will require people ready for the high skilled, well paid jobs we are creating.

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"Otherwise, it won’t be those living in the North who feel the benefits of a more productive economy by securing the jobs which do become available.”

Yiannis Koursis, Principal and Chief Executive Barnsley College, said: “Colleges must continue to rise to the challenge and offer solutions that drive the future economy, meet the nation’s skills gaps, and present an opportunity for real progression to learners.

“Barnsley College has worked with thousands of employers, addressing their skills need, adapting our curriculum to meet employment demand, and working with them to develop the workforce of the future.

"We are working with businesses to lead the economic recovery and meet employers’ needs, both now and for future roles, by providing students and adults with the skills to succeed."

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The Skills for Jobs White Paper will include plans to launch a nationwide recruitment campaign to get more talented individuals to teach in FE.

The Government is also proposing to change the law so people can access flexible student finance from 2025 so they can retrain throughout their lives.

In December, the Government announced that tens of thousands of adults without an A-level or equivalent qualification would be able to benefit from nearly 400 fully-funded courses from April.

It was the first major development in Boris Johnson's Lifetime Skills Guarantee (LSG) scheme, which was launched in September.

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