Education Secretary lists Skills England’s main priorities as new body officially replaces IfATE

Skills England, the UK government's new body responsible for building the nation's current and future skills, is officially up and running.  

Replacing  IfATE, (the institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education), it will work with employers and other partners to create and refine apprenticeships, occupational standards and technical qualifications.  

Skills England is seen as pivotal to Labour's wider plan to power economic growth through equipping people with the skills and training the country needs. An executive agency of the Department for Education, (DfE) it will combine new functions with some of those previously undertaken by IfATE, such as working with employers to establish apprenticeship standards.  

Welcoming the new organisation's launch, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson set out her key priorities for Skills England during 2025-2026 in a letter to its joint chief executives Tessa Griffiths and Sara Maclean.  

The minister said: "Skills are central to the Government's Missions and Plan for Change - for growth and opportunity, but for the other missions too, and for our plans to deliver 1.5 million homes over five years. Building on its work in shadow form, Skills England will identify skills gaps across the economy - including in key sectors - and use this insight to drive improvements. Skills England should work with the Department and across Government to bring the skills system together so that people and employers can benefit from the training they need to get on. Your work will help young people starting out on their careers, as well as adults who need to reskill, to have access to clear education and training pathways."   

In her letter Ms Phillipson said that Skills England should co-design new approaches with industry and regional partners to improve the skills, 'collaborating with a wide range of interested parties across the skills system, including Devolved Government counterparts where appropriate.'  

She added that the body should work proactively with Strategic Authorities and local leaders to help co-create solutions that respond to national priorities, skills gaps, and local labour market needs, so growth and training opportunities extend to all regions.  

Priorities for 2025-26 

The main areas the Education Secretary would like Skills England's senior leaders to prioritise are: 

• Understanding England's future skills needs and improving our skills offer. This will involve working with partners across government and beyond to provide the single authoritative voice on the country's current and future skills needs. 

• Simplifying access to skills. This will include bringing together the skills system so that (i) people can take up technical education and apprenticeships and (ii) so that employers can access a skilled workforce. The aim is to improve employer engagement in technical education and give learners, training providers and employers a greater understanding of the pathways open to them.  

• Mobilising and co-creating solutions to skills gaps with partners, nationally, in key sectors and across regions. This will entail drawing on data and insights from employers, trades unions, Further and Higher Education training providers, and others. By doing so, Skills England will be well placed to advise Government in its response to skills gaps, including continuing to develop the Growth and Skills Levy offer.  

Additionally, says the letter, this will drive progress in the Labour Market Evidence Group, working with the Migration Advisory Committee, Industrial Strategy Council and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to boost the home-grown pipeline of skilled workers in priority areas, reducing England's reliance on workers from overseas.  

Other key goals highlighted include 'regularly and deeply engaging with Strategic Authorities about shaping the skills system and developing a service to attract significant internationally mobile investors.'  

Ms Phillipson said working towards these main priorities was central to the government's missions around skills building, adding that she looked forwards to reviewing Skills England's business plan and progress against it.' 

Adapting to a changing national skills system with Onefile's support  

Replacing IfAte with Skills England marks a significant stage in the government's drive to boost economic growth via skills training. And it's a notable change that we'll all need to get used to. 

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