Ian Mean MBE looks at how the government are tackling a skills shortage.
Investing in our young people through apprenticeships is now more important than ever as the demand for skills grows.
So, the development of Skills England, a new government body designed to bring together the skills needs for the next decade, is welcome.
But as Matt Tudge, who leads the Business West team working for government in developing Local Skills Improvement Programmes, or LSIPs, for this region, tells me:
“The mood music on Skills England is good, but as ever the devil is in the detail”.
I agree. This new organisation must have teeth and has to be well funded.
Skills England is going to be headed up by Jackie Smith, who returns to government after 16 years following being a no-nonsense Home Secretary.
This is a big job. Training by employers is the lowest since records began in 1910 and government funding to further encourage companies to take on apprentices has dwindled.
Matt Burgess, Gloucestershire College’s CEO and Principal uses the word “paralysis” when he talks about firms being very wary about taking on apprentices before they know details of the October 30 Budget.
The allocation of the much maligned Growth and Skills Levy paid by companies is a major factor here and often complex.
Instead of taking on young apprentices, we have seen a trend for companies to use it to fund forms of management training.
Sarah Stephens-Lewis, the Assistant Principal for Apprentices and Employer Engagement at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, tells me:
“The allocation of the levy to apprenticeships and the development of skills within organisations remains a critical issue.
“The uncertainty surrounding this allocation has led to a reduction in the recruitment of apprentices and employers and training providers await further government decisions”.
Sarah also makes the good point that the new Skills England must recognise the importance of areas such as Retrofit and Green Skills within the construction sector.
And I believe it is time for government to start encouraging local companies to go into schools to interest the 11 year olds in careers with them.
Learning to learn is going to be so much more important for our young people in a working world dominated by skills.
Skills England is a good start.