Further education and skills
Skills are vital to our economy and society. They help businesses succeed and individuals to realise their potential. That’s why we’re reforming the further education and skills system to better meet learners’ and employers’ needs. In November 2010 we set out our vision in Skills for Sustainable Growth and the funding to support this. In December 2011 we published New Challenges, New Chances, our reform plan building on Skills for Sustainable Growth, and the Skills Investment Statement 2011-2014. Read more about our system and strategy below and subscribe to our monthly newsletter here.
Our further education and skills system
The system in England is well-established, offering academic and vocational programmes from entry level to higher education. The range of subjects is huge – for example, pure and applied sciences, languages, health and social care, arts and humanities, teacher training, media, computing and IT and access to higher education courses. Around 11 per cent of all higher education and 42 per cent of all 16-19 year-old education takes place in the further education system.
Our overall investment in adult further education in the 2012-13 financial year will be £3.8 billion. The principles of fairness and shared responsibility underpin this. We are prioritising funding for young adults, those who need English and maths skills and those seeking work. Alongside this, we are introducing a system of FE loans, to shift more of the responsibility for investment to individuals and to support adults learning at advanced and higher levels. Programmes like Apprenticeships are funded by both the government and employers.
In the 2010/11 academic year we supported over three million learners aged 19 and over. The majority were aged 25 or over, but about 750,000 were 19-24 year-olds. In addition, some 14-16 year-olds spend some time in college, while being based in school.
There are about 350 general further education and sixth form colleges and over 1,000 training organisations across the country. They offer high quality provision. For example, 70 per cent of colleges were judged good or outstanding in their latest Ofsted inspection and 55 per cent of the independent training organisations inspected in 2010/11 achieved good or outstanding grades. The Learning and Skills Improvement Service works with colleges and providers to develop excellent and sustainable provision. The system is funded and regulated by the Skills Funding Agency.
Skills for sustainable growth
Secretary of State for Business Vince Cable and Skills Minister John Hayes launched the Government’s strategy, Skills for Sustainable Growth, and its parallel publication, Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth, on 16 November 2010. The strategy set out how the further education and skills system would improve the skills of the workforce, the performance of the economy and engagement in learning. Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth set out public investment plans for further education and skills over the current Spending Review period to 2014-15.
Further information on Skills for Sustainable Growth and the Skills Investment Strategy
Further education and skills reform and investment
Vince Cable and John Hayes launched New Challenges, New Chances, the reform plan for skills, and the accompanying skills investment statement on 1 December 2011.
New Challenges, New Chances sets out the Government’s overall strategy plans from now to 2015 and builds on the strategy published in 2010. The Skills Investment Statement sets out the adult further education and skills budget for the 2012-13 financial year, confirming plans that were set out in autumn 2010. The principles of fairness and shared responsibility underpin our investment.
Supporting publications:
For learners
We are committed to improving skills at all levels, from community learning, English and maths and IT skills, to Apprenticeships and higher education. The Next Step service (and the new National Careers service to be launched in spring 2012) and Jobcentre Plus help people with their choices on jobs, careers and training.
Building engagement, building futures
On 15 December 2011 the Government launched Building engagement, building futures to engage 16 to 24 year-olds in education, training and work. See the youth participation page for further information.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are at the heart of the Government’s strategy for skills. Provisional data show a record 442,700 learners started an apprenticeship in the academic year 2010/11. To build on this the Government has announced various measures to ensure more young people and adults benefit and to help employers gain skilled workers. Up to 40,000 small businesses will receive an incentive of £1,500 for taking on their first young apprentice; and it will be made quicker and easier to take on an apprentice. £18.7 million from the Higher Apprenticeship Fund will support the development of 28 Higher Apprenticeship Frameworks and some 19,000 Higher Apprenticeship places in various sectors. The funding is part of a £25 million fund announced in July 2011. A second round of bids to the fund will be invited early in the New Year.
For more information, visit the National Apprenticeship Service.
For employers
Skills and training support are available via Apprenticeships, Business link and Jobcentre Plus. We are helping the skills system respond to the needs of business through, for example, the Growth and Innovation Fund (now open for bids), the Employer Investment Fund (for employer-led Sector Skills Councils only), the new £250 million plan to give businesses the power to design vocational training, Investors in People and a consultation on qualification design to take place in early 2012.
For colleges and training organisations
We are setting colleges free from unnecessary bureaucracy and simplifying the funding system. Our latest plans are set out in New Challenges, New Chances. Colleges and training organisations are responsible for ensuring high quality provision. The Education Act, which included measures to support this freedom, received Royal Assent on 15 November 2011. We work closely with the Skills Funding Agency, which is responsible for routing public funding for adult further education and skills to colleges and training organisations to ensure people and businesses get the skills training they need.
