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<\/div>\nThe education secretary has written to Skills England setting out the government\u2019s priorities for skills development in the year ahead. <\/strong><\/p>\n Bridget Phillipson says she is \u201cdelighted\u201d that the flagship learning body is now fully established and reminded it of its central role in supporting economic growth and helping people into jobs.<\/p>\n Skills England was set up<\/a> two weeks after the general election in July 2024, with a mission of bringing together the \u201cfractured skills landscape\u201d.<\/p>\n It aims to bring together government, local authorities, employers, training providers and trade unions to create a cohesive skills strategy that means employers rely less on overseas workers and build up domestic talent.<\/p>\n In her letter<\/a>, Phillipson urges Skills England to \u201cco-design new approaches with industry and regional partners to improve the skills of our workforce, collaborating with a wide range of interested parties across the skills system, including devolved government counterparts where appropriate\u201d.<\/p>\n There are four key asks of Skills England and its job-sharing chief executives Sarah Maclean and Tessa Griffiths:<\/p>\n First, that skills strategies are data-driven<\/strong> so that government departments can make informed decisions on labour market policies and priorities in different sectors and regions. This includes the publication of an annual skills assessment.<\/p>\n Skills England must then use these insights to inform the development of the \u201cright skills training\u201d<\/strong> at a local and national level, she adds.<\/p>\n \u201cThis should include co-creating and refining the occupational standards underpinning a set of qualifications and training products with employers and other partners, to ensure that employers are driving the training required to meet labour market and economic need and deliver our Missions,\u201d the letter adds.<\/p>\n From here, Skills England must simplify access to skills<\/strong>, including technical education and apprenticeships, reducing bureaucracy and duplication within the system.<\/p>\n It must work towards improving employer engagement in technical education, and \u201censure a high-quality employer experience of Skills England\u201d.<\/p>\n Finally, Skills England must \u201cmobilise\u201d responses<\/strong> to skills gaps, working with trade unions, employers, higher and further education providers and others.<\/p>\n This includes forming Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) and working alongside the Labour Market Evidence Group and Migration Advisory Committee<\/a> on boosting the domestic skills pipeline.<\/p>\n Phillipson calls upon Skills England to attract \u201csignificant internationally mobile investors\u201d by developing a service that will help investors navigate the UK skills offer and provide them with access to key skills partners.<\/p>\n \u201cThis agenda is urgent and central to the Government\u2019s Missions,\u201d she concludes. \u201cI know you will build on the momentum from Skills England\u2019s time in shadow form to firmly establish the organisation at the centre of our national skills landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n The government\u2019s skills strategy has come under fire in recent weeks, in particular a decision last week to cease funding for Level 7 apprentices<\/a> unless they are under 22.<\/p>\n Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nSign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance<\/h2>\n
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