Our seventeenth bulletin considers the changing nature of UK skills shortages and how the system addresses this.
Yesterday, a team from Edge attended the FE News Green Collective in Manchester, organised by FE News - we were the media sponsor, appeared on panels and led break-out sessions. Co-hosted with the Education and Training Foundation, this “micro-collective” event was intentionally small (just 50 delegates).
Its ambition, however, was anything but: to shift the conversation from green skills to green mindsets, and to co-create practical actions for system-wide sustainability. The morning was jam-packed with opportunities to hear from leading sector experts. The event opened with a video message from Skills Minister Jacqui Smith and keynote speech from Toby Perkins MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee. They both underlined the centrality of Further Education in delivering the UK’s clean energy and green skills ambitions. Toby Perkins urged greater coherence in national policy, while calling for equal pride in vocational and academic routes.
The first panel of the day, Beyond Green Skills: Shaping a Mindset for Systemic Sustainability, took a systems-level view of how green skills can shape national and social priorities. Chaired by Charlotte Bonner of The Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), panellists included Joanna Moonan (Skills England), Dr Andy Smith (QAA), and Jodie Bailey-Ho (former DfE Youth Focal Point for Sustainability and Climate Change). Speakers stressed the importance of curriculum design, strong collaboration with educators, and clear messaging to young people.
The second panel, From Intention to Action: Building Cultures of Sustainability in FE, took the discussion to a more practical direction. Chaired by Vikki Smith from ETF, panellists explored what cultural change looks like in colleges today. Palvinder Singh from Kirklees College emphasised values-based leadership, while Olly Newton (Edge Foundation) called for more trust and autonomy for educators. Lou Mycroft (EAUC) challenged delegates to embrace social justice as integral to climate justice, reminding us that even a small group of changemakers can shift an institution’s mindset.
Olly Newton, Executive Director, Edge Foundation“It was great to spend time with so many colleagues focusing down on this important issue – I loved that we moved from talking about the big picture and culture change all the way through to those small incremental actions that can make a difference straight away. One key takeaway for me was that, as ever with the skills space, everything is connected – so if we plan carefully, what’s good for sustainability can be good for equity and the economy too.”
In the afternoon, participants worked in themed “collective intelligence” sessions, exploring four pillars: workforce leadership, just transition, place-based impact, and breaking silos through systems thinking. These small groups allowed us to really dig into these issues and set forward real, actionable solutions that can be achieved without major policy change. Groups were focused, interested and fascinating, all offering up thoughts and ideas for debate and discussion. By the end of the day, the shared message was clear - real change begins with intention, inclusion, and collaboration. We are all looking forward to seeing the final report in December.
