New targets have been set by the UK government which will see more young people accessing higher level learning by the time they are 25.
Unveiling the reforms, Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted two-thirds of young people to be on an apprenticeship or taking part in technical or academic learning before their 25th birthday – up 50% on today’s levels.
Of this number, 10% would be pursuing higher technical education or apprenticeships by the age of 25 – almost doubling the current figure.
The key aim is to align skills training with the future needs of the UK’s jobs market.
And as part of the government’s Plan for Change, schools will play a bigger role in ensuring every young person has a clearer idea of their next destination, post 16. This approach, supported by Ofsted, will see the testing of a new ‘safety net’ system, guaranteeing school leavers a place at college or with other FE providers.
Wider reform also includes the introduction of 14 new Technical Excellence Colleges, which will concentrate on delivering skills in high-growth industries such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and digital. These centres of learning follow on from the 15 Technical Excellence Colleges – 10 in construction and five in defence – that the government has already announced.
The new measures have been welcomed by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), the national membership body which represents organisations operating in the skills sector.
AELP’s CEO Ben Rowland, said the government’s announcement had reset what young people, their parents and crucially their teachers will view as aspirational.
Adding that this reset was a necessary step, he continued: “Now we need to make it happen. That means re-engaging employers, starting with spending all of the money raised through the levy on the kind of programmes the Prime Minister wants.”
“It also means making sure that investment in Technical Excellence Colleges is designed so that the whole sector can contribute including independent training providers who are the engine of employer and learner engagement currently delivering two thirds of apprenticeships."
The government’s new growth and skills levy includes funding for new foundation apprenticeships which are aimed at younger learners. The PM has said he wants to give school leavers a route into careers in critical sectors, allowing them to earn a wage while learning vital skills.
The new levy also allows funding for shorter apprenticeships, providing learners and employers with greater flexibility over their training programmes than they had previously.
Raising educational standards is, says the government, central to the skills reforms. Sir Keir said that colleges will be ‘expected to deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for those who haven’t passed those GCSEs, supported by targeted funding and training.’
And, he added that to bolster the quality of teaching, government will support FE teachers with new structured professional development from initial teacher training through to leadership.
Preparing for skills reform: How Onefile can assist you
These latest reforms to further and higher education are designed to improve the availability of quality training to more young people. They should also impact positively on apprenticeships, increasing numbers of programmes and learners.
Against this background, Onefile is keen that employers, training providers and learners get the most from their apprenticeships and we have all the software tools, knowledge, experience and expertise to help you.
We’d love to hear from you, click here to book a discovery call.