The final report of Make UK’s Industrial Strategy Skills Commission has outlined the key reforms needed to fix the UK’s skills pipeline.
Make UK’s Industrial Strategy Skills Commission Report 2025, produced by a panel of industry leaders, including Skills Federation CEO Fiona Aldridge as a commissioner, highlights the challenges facing our economy with sluggish growth, stagnant wages, and a widening skills gap.
There are 55,000 long-term vacancies in the manufacturing sector alone, the report highlights, costing the economy £6bn annually in lost output. Addressing this crisis requires urgent investment in workforce skills, particularly in the adoption of new technologies.
The report calls for immediate reforms to strengthen the apprenticeship system and a long-term strategy to equip workers with the skills needed for future industries. It argues that without action, the UK risks falling behind in industrial innovation, particularly in AI and automation.
Commenting on the publication of the final report Fiona Aldridge, CEO of Skills Federation, said:
“It has been a privilege to be a commissioner for this important piece of work and to have had the opportunity to view first hand some of the excellent practice across the sector and to work with the other commissioners and advisors, including Skills Federation member, Enginuity. The recommendations in the report are intended to help secure the future pipeline of talent and to provide the essential upskilling for existing workers to this key growth sector of the economy.”
Read the full report here
