Yorkshire leader Susan Hinchcliffe calls for 'fundamental shift' to regions on post-16 education and training

A Yorkshire council leader has called for a "fundamental shift" in powers over post-16 education and training to give local leaders more control over equipping workers with the skills to benefit the region's economy.

Bradford's Susan Hinchcliffe called on Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to go further with devolving powers after he unveiled his new Skills for Jobs White Paper as the Tory Minister said the blueprint would help rebuild the economy after the pandemic.

The proposals 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.

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Susan Hinchcliffe, the leader of Bradford council.Susan Hinchcliffe, the leader of Bradford council.
Susan Hinchcliffe, the leader of Bradford council.
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The Government 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.

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.

Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford council and chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said there had never been a more important moment in her lifetime to invest in skills.

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She leads the Future-Ready Skills Commission of experts and leading thinkers from business, education, local government and think tanks which has conducted an in-depth examination of the UK skills system.

Its final report was published in September and contains nine policy recommendations designed to build an adult skills and training system better able to meet the needs of local economies, and future challenges and opportunities in the workplace.

Coun Hinchcliffe said some of the recommendations had been taken on by the Government "but it’s not clear yet how far it will go in terms of building the devolved approach set out in the Commission’s blueprint".

She added: “Designing a skills system fit for the needs of people and the economy now and in the future requires a fundamental shift in powers, focus and responsibilities to regions.

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"We believe regions are best placed to work with employers and their representative bodies to understand the skills in demand in their jobs market. We have the relationships and the experience to collaborate with colleges, training providers and businesses to meet these needs.

“In West Yorkshire, we have a successful track record of partnering with colleges and further education institutions through delivery agreements to align the needs of our learners with those of local businesses. It is an approach that has paid dividends and we are ready to act as a national pilot so it can be adopted more widely.”

Making a statement on the proposals in the Commons, Mr Williamson told MPs: "This House needs no reminding that this country stands at a critical point in its history. We have some enormous challenges ahead, there is an urgent need to rebuild an economy injured by the Covid pandemic."

He added: "But beyond Covid, we must also forge a new identity as an independent trading nation. Both of these challenges have exposed our need for a strong and flourishing technical education sector to fire up the jobs of the future.

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"This white paper is our blueprint for that future. It is going to play a pivotal role in creating jobs and rebuilding our economy."

Labour's Shadow education secretary Kate Green said the measures announced only serve to "reverse the damage" of years of Conservative governments.

Nick Garthwaite, Chair of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Chamber welcomes this White Paper, which acknowledges the important need to hear from employers about their current and future skills needs.

"We know that many firms don’t have a skills strategy and many often struggle articulate their needs in ways which inform training providers and so end being made to choose from what is ‘already on the shelf’.

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“It is also great to see the acknowledgement of the role Chambers play in supporting their regional business communities and that there is a bigger role in working with colleges, training providers, businesses and regional policy makers as we look to rebuild our economy.

"We believe strongly that having a functioning and regional employer led post-16 skills and education system will help companies to develop the skills needed to grasp future opportunities, to adapt to new working practices and ultimately to thrive in a post-pandemic economy.”

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