We urgently need a Sustainable Skills System, which is properly funded, agile and responsive to the needs of the digital and green economy, supporting the implementation of a National Skills Strategy.
Central Government needs to own the governance of the Skills system, working in collaboration with the devolved governments, employers and local combined authorities to set the framework, enabling awarding organisations to build training programmes, for local provider delivery.
Common Occupational Standards are needed, but with modularised provision to allow full-time training or part-time bite-sized provision, and with clear pathways to employment and career development. Our paper ‘Thoughts on a Sustainable Skills System for the UK’ outlines these thoughts in more detail.