How to leverage industry partnerships for learner success

In February Pearson were proud sponsors of the AoC Sport Curriculum Conference 2026. It was a brilliant day, I left feeling inspired and reflective.

It’s clear that we’re currently in one of the most exciting and transformational periods the sport and physical activity sector has ever experienced. That’s because qualification reform isn’t just another policy cycle; it’s a once‑in‑a‑generation window to reshape how we prepare learners for a world where job roles evolve faster than curriculum documents, and where industry expectations demand both depth and agility.

For years, we’ve spoken about the need for stronger alignment between education and the real world. That alignment is not only possible, but also essential. It feels as though we are standing at the intersection of three powerful moments coming together to drive this need for change ahead.

1. Major qualification reform, setting new expectations for rigour, industry connection, and occupational relevance and impactful education.
2. A rapidly professionalising sector, where standards, recognition, and competency frameworks are becoming the backbone of employer confidence.
3. Unprecedented access to workforce insight, giving us a clarity we’ve never had before about what the sector actually needs.

We’ve now got the opportunity to modernise, streamline, and design qualifications hand‑in‑hand with employers, NGBs, professional bodies and higher education institutions. When we build in collaboration, we build for longevity. This is why collaborative design with organisations such as The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) has become not just helpful, but vital. Employers want to see that a qualification is more than a certificate, they want assurance that learners have the skills to the job and grow within their business to add value.

For the first time, we have regional and national workforce data from CIMSPA and robust local skills improvement plans that highlight exactly where gaps are emerging, including: skills shortages, role profiles, regional demands, employer pain points. This data tells us, with real precision where new job roles are accelerating, employers lack confidence, local economies need urgent investment and our learners can thrive if we equip them with the right blend of skills.

The challenge now isn’t access to data, it’s impact. How do we turn insight into curriculum? How do we convert employer voice into meaningful assessment? How do we ensure this intelligence isn’t a report on a shelf, but a driver of daily practice?

When we get this right, the results will be transformative. Curriculum becomes more responsive. Learners become more employable. And employers begin to see FE not just as part of the pipeline but as partners in workforce planning.

If we want learners to thrive across a lifelong career, then our delivery models must shift. A knowledge‑heavy curriculum alone will not prepare them for a sector shaped by digital transformation, adaptable role boundaries, and rising expectations for professional conduct and standards. We must prioritise:

• skills‑centred learning, where application, behaviour, decision‑making, and real‑world competence take centre stage
• consistent assessment against industry standards, implemented with integrity, not interpretation
• digital fluency, not as an add‑on but as part of every practitioner’s identity
• transferable skills, ensuring learners can pivot as the sector evolves.

The digital revolution is reshaping exercise referral, community health, PT services, coaching environments, and data‑driven performance work. Our qualifications, our curriculum, and our assessments must keep pace and stay ahead. This can be achieved by embedding these skills gaps into teaching, learning, and assessment so that they can finish their qualification prepared for the workforce or further education.

Let’s be honest, the qualification landscape has been confusing. Employers have told us they struggle to distinguish between programmes, standards, and certification routes. Professional status, recognition, and quality assurance all matter, but clarity has often been lacking.

This is where alignment with CIMSPA’s professional standards is so important. When qualifications clearly map to recognised standards, when professional status is a visible outcome, and when industry bodies endorse what we deliver, employer trust grows. FE has a unique opportunity to become the sector’s strongest advocate by articulating not only what learners know, but what they can do: safely, competently, professionally.

When partnered with the flexibility in content and assessment that Pearson provides, schools and colleges can better meet local needs, giving employers the confidence that new hires are equipped with desired skills.

If we get this right, we reduce recruitment risk for employers and open doors for learners that lead to genuine, sustainable careers.

Let’s use qualification reform as a launchpad, not a compliance exercise.

Darren Brookfield is an Advanced Specialist, Product Management - Sport and Physical Activity at Pearson. Visit the Pearson website to find out more about their Sport qualifications, and how they can partner with you through change.