Following Government announcements to pause and review post-16 qualifications, scrap the Advanced British Standard and establish Skills England, Alison Morris, Head of Policy at the Skills Federation spoke to Justine Fosh, CEO of Cogent Skills and Phil Beach, CEO of Energy & Utility Skills about how the new Government could reform the qualifications landscape to benefit both learners and employers. The article was published in FE News in August 2024.
In it, participants welcomed the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s announcement to pause the defunding of applied general qualifications and carry out a review. In a wide-ranging discussion, integration of the qualifications system at both level 2 and level 3 was addressed alongside the importance of clear progression links between T Levels and apprenticeships to ensure employer assurance and consistency.
The article considered how fit for purpose the current post-16 qualifications system is from the perspective of employers in the science and energy and utility industries. It also addressed how qualifications can adapt to respond to rapidly changing technology.
Phil and Justine set out their views on priorities for the new Government to break down barriers to opportunity, develop a skills system with a seamless progression from education to work and a potential role for Skills England to take a more holistic view of the skills system.
Phil Beach also argued for other critical role of sector skills bodies: “We can provide that broader, deeper view of what industry needs and provide that evidence to Skills England.”
Justine Fosh added: “The reason we are here is to make the skills system work better for employers. We know our industry well and bring together employers from across the sector, so we are the obvious partner. Together we can work collaboratively to create a more effective and joined-up system that works for learners and for employers. And that is my lasting wish for the new Government.”
You can read the full article on FE News here.
