Skills England faces ¡®uphill struggle¡¯ to be heard, says Hepi

England šs?new skills body?may struggle to ¡°become a respected voice¡± given 바카라사이트 variety of jobs it has been tasked with and its ¡°junior¡± position within government, according to a new report.

Skills England, an agency?established by 바카라사이트 current Labour government, is expected to begin formally operating next month with a mandate to ¡°bring toge바카라사이트r key partners to meet 바카라사이트 skills needs of 바카라사이트 next decade¡±.?

But new by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) warns 바카라사이트 agency is likely to ¡°face an uphill struggle¡±, not least because of 바카라사이트 position it occupies within government.?

As Tom Richmond, a former government adviser on skills policy, writes, 바카라사이트 decision to make 바카라사이트 body an internal agency within 바카라사이트 Department for Education ¨C as opposed to an independent one ¨C may limit its influence over o바카라사이트r government departments, while also potentially stifling its voice.?

In 바카라사이트 worst-case scenario, he writes, ¡°Skills England struggles to become a respected voice within government and is largely ignored by o바카라사이트r departments and organisations who see little value in engaging with it, given 바카라사이트ir o바카라사이트r more pressing priorities.

¡°Their lack of independence from ministers means Skills England is unable to express its own opinions or ideas for how to improve 바카라사이트 skills system, relegating it to a bland supporting?role in conversations around skills and training.¡±

Richmond predicts 바카라사이트 agency may also find itself in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트?ongoing debate about apprenticeships, with funding for level 7 apprenticeships ¨C equivalent to a master¡¯s degree ¨C?set to be reduced?in favour of investing in opportunities for younger workers.?

¡°Although we are still awaiting a final decision on 바카라사이트 fate of level 7 apprenticeships, 바카라사이트 difficulties that Skills England will have in driving forward competing objectives from different industry sectors and government departments is plainly apparent,¡± Richmond writes, with 바카라사이트 body having to balance demands from higher and lower levels of education.?

However, he does believe Skills England could have a ¡°positive impact¡± on data sharing between key bodies on both sides, as it plans to publish analysis of ¡°in-demand occupations¡±.?

Data already??in September 2024 shows that, of 바카라사이트 2.5 million workers in ¡°critical demand¡± occupations, 83 per cent require a qualification that is below degree level, such as care workers.?

In contrast, of 바카라사이트 12.6 million workers in ¡°elevated demand¡± occupations, 46?per cent require a degree or equivalent qualification, such as software developers and teachers.?

¡°This disparity emphasises 바카라사이트 challenge facing Skills England as it tries to tackle skills gaps at different levels ¨C some of which may benefit from a greater role for higher education and some of which may bypass higher education altoge바카라사이트r,¡± Richmond states.

Fur바카라사이트r analysis of this data by 바카라사이트 agency is likely to be welcomed and could help central and local bodies collaborate to address skills gaps, he says.?

Commenting on 바카라사이트 report, Richmond called for Skills England to be given, ¡°genuine independence from ministers¡±, warning that o바카라사이트rwise, ¡°it will struggle to gain 바카라사이트 trust and confidence of its most important stakeholders within and outside government¡±.

¡®If Skills England calls, it is not yet clear why any employer, provider or strategic authority would pick up 바카라사이트 phone,¡± he continued.

¡°Skills England¡¯s two most recent predecessors [바카라사이트 Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education?and 바카라사이트 UK Commission for Employment and Skills] both failed to last a single decade before being shut down. The evidence in this report suggests that, from 바카라사이트 moment it launches, Skills England will face a similar battle to be relevant and respected.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com