AoC welcomes rebirth of Union Learning Fund

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “I am delighted to see the Chancellor’s announcement on the “rebirth” of the Union Learning Fund.  

“Earlier this year, when participating in the APPG for FE and Lifelong Learning’s inquiry into adult education, we heard that the scrapping the fund had meant that millions of adults had missed out on opportunities to upskill and retrain.  

“We know that artificial intelligence, automation, the transition to net zero and an ageing workforce are all contributing to a rapid transformation of the jobs and skills people need. Investing in adult education in this way, and ensuring people will be able to access skills, progress in their careers and build confidence through trusted workplace-based learning, is absolutely the right thing to do.”