Driving forward an ambitious skills agenda and plans for education
The new UK Labour government has set out plans to expand high-quality education, employment and training routes.
11 July 2024
As an organisation dedicated to promoting skills development on a local, national and international level, City & Guilds has a long history of working with governments to deliver life-changing skills solutions that support productivity, social mobility and economic growth on a wider scale.
Following the general election on 4 July 2024, we are looking forward to supporting the newly elected Labour government at a crucial time for skills and training. The election of a new government is an opportunity to review and refresh existing setups and practices while addressing the challenges created by funding cuts to education and we are eager to be part of what we hope will be positive changes for skills development.
Making skills development the solution
At the core of Labour’s manifesto and campaigning was a pledge to create economic stability and build wealth with the goal of providing funding for key projects from infrastructure to reducing NHS waiting times.
Housing has also been frequently highlighted as a priority with a commitment to building 300,000 new homes a year and reforms to the planning system. Before the election was even announced The Construction Industry Training Board had already estimated that more than 250,000 additional workers would be needed by 2028 to meet the increased demand in the sector and this number is only likely to go up following Labour’s new plans.
Meeting this demand will require the development of a highly skilled talent pool of construction and building services engineering (BSE) workers. With both sectors facing their own challenges from ageing workforces to the rapid evolution of materials and techniques to meet new green standards, making training to enter the industry attractive and accessible for young people will be vital to achieving housing goals.
Similarly, coordinated, widely available training will be crucial to meeting the Labour government’s green targets. With the plan to ban the sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2030 back on, the demand for engineers who can manufacture and maintain new electric vehicles and install EV charging points will reach new heights and these green jobs will require nationwide commitment to the development of green skills.
It's clear that the government is ready to take action to tackle climate change with £23.7 billion of spending pledged for new green measures including setting up publicly owned Great British Energy which will invest in clean energy and create thousands of jobs.
This dedication to sustainability and reduction of carbon emissions is incredibly positive but without the right training and skills development infrastructure in place there will not be a sufficient workforce to make these changes happen. While we are seeing an increasing demand for green skills, it’s a developing and evolving focus for multiple industries, presenting opportunities and challenges, as we discuss in an episode of our Navigating the UK Skills Challenges podcast. While individuals, businesses and local councils have a responsibility to prioritise green skills, it’s critical that the government prioritises green skills training.
Keeping skills high on the agenda
The new government has already set out plans for work and careers, encouraging investment to inspire wealth creation and targeting an 80% employment rate. In order to reduce unemployment and create progression opportunities that help individuals, organisations and regions to succeed, we need to ensure that people have the right skills for the jobs that are available.
Effective skills development builds aspirations and changes lives. With plans to review and broaden the curriculum, devolve powers over skills and convert further education colleges into technical excellence colleges while improving apprenticeships, the Labour manifesto pre-election made it clear that the government views skills and education as key pieces of the puzzle.
Reforms and funding changes have left many providers, employers and learners confused or even disillusioned about what training can do for them. By putting skills at the heart of every issue and forming a more stable, accessible and equitable skills system, the government has a potentially generation defining chance to create a culture of opportunity and lifelong learning that can improve lives on a local, national and global scale.
In a statement, our CEO Kirstie Donnelly said: “We look forward to supporting the new government in driving forward an ambitious skills agenda to address the skills gap and foster a skilled workforce for the UK economy.”
Our Policy and Communications team continue to monitor and analyse the policies announced by government and what it means for us and the sectors we work within.
Learn more about how we can work with you to support skills development