AoC responds to House of Lords inquiry into apprenticeships and training

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “Earlier this year, I submitted evidence to the House of Lords inquiry into skills for the future on apprenticeships and training, and it’s good to see the findings clearly summarised in this letter to the skills minister, Jacqui Smith.

“The overall message to the new government is the need to introduce a new system for post-16 skills that makes it simpler for employers, learners and colleges and other education providers to navigate and operate in. On top of that, it’s vital for changes to the apprenticeship system to attract more employer investment in skills that matter, in line with what the UK economy needs.

“The issues highlighted by the inquiry won’t come as a surprise to college leaders, as they reflect the reality of the barriers they face every single day. However, there are three in particular I urge the government to act on as a matter of urgency: for Skills England to have the powers it needs to help simplify a very complex system, for the new growth and skills levy to give more focus on young people and new labour market entrants, and for adult funding to be demand-led so we can meet the skills needs in areas such as construction, net zero and the NHS.”