The Government set out a new vision for the skills system in England within the Further Education White Paper published earlier this year. Elevating the role of employers, particularly in regard to the provision of higher technical education, is a central component of the Government’s new plan.

Taking stock of the new measures being proposed to enhance the role of employers in the skills system, this briefing sets out key considerations that must be factored in to policy development to promote good outcomes for both learners and employers.

Ensuring a broad range of employer input, and configuring funding and accountability measures that promote collaboration between providers, as well as ensuring provision is sufficiently focused on those further away from the labour market, are among the key challenges that the briefing tackles.

Policy recommendations include:

• The establishment of SME/microbusinesses panels within Local Skills Improvement Plan processes with the Department for Education ensuring evidence of extensive engagement across a range of employer types.
• The Department for Education should develop the planned new skills funding and accountability measures to enable delivery of more specialist training provision, and also include criteria that focuses on the needs of priority groups.

Read the full briefing here

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