We welcome the Education Select Committee’s Further Education and Skills report and are encouraged to see the Committee place FE at the heart of the Government’s five missions and highlight the sector’s essential role in driving growth, opportunity, and social mobility.
The report reflects many of the concerns Edge raised in our submission, and we are pleased that several of our recommendations have been echoed. We outline our response to the Committee’s findings below.
Edge Chief Executive, Alice Gardner said,
"The Education Committee’s recommendations, particularly on apprenticeships and parity of esteem, echo many of the concerns Edge has long raised. As Skills England moves to DWP, it is more important than ever that it has the independence and authority to drive a coherent, joined-up skills system that works for all.”
Skills England
We agree with the Committee that Skills England must have the independence and authority to deliver its remit. As we set out in our submission, Skills England must not simply report on skills shortages but actively convene employers, providers, and government to drive action. We support the call for an independent review of governance and seniority within two years (although this is something that the Government has already committed to) and recommend establishing a Chief Skills Adviser role to ensure cross-departmental influence. Skills England’s move to DWP, not mentioned in the Committee’s report, may further complicate matters.
Post-16 Pathways and Qualifications
Parity of esteem between academic and technical routes remains a pressing issue. Careers education still too often fails to present vocational pathways on equal terms, as highlighted in our submission as well as in the latest Youth Voice Census.
We strongly support the Committee’s call for a one-stop shop platform for information on post-16 routes, as explored in our recent Chaos to Coordination report.
On T Levels, our research highlights issues with student understanding of the qualification and the quality of delivery. We agree with the Committee that modularisation, flexibility, and a clear national awareness campaign are essential. We also agree that the ability to mix and match technical and academic qualifications is essential, backed by public sentiment. Longer term, Edge continues to advocate for a baccalaureate-style 16-19 system, bringing together academic and technical options under one umbrella.
Apprenticeships
The Committee is right to highlight the need for better SME support – something we have been calling for in our Apprenticeships Work campaign. Brokerage services, as Edge champion in our Agents of Change report, can make apprenticeships more accessible to smaller businesses and should be properly funded and coordinated by the Government.
We also urge the Government to make mentoring a standardised entitlement for apprentices, following successful international models.
The Government now has the opportunity to act decisively on the Committee’s recommendations and work with providers, employers, and young people to create a system that is truly fit for the future.