New Ministers
Energy & Utility Skills will continue to work closely with the new Government and its advisors. Key appointments made so far include Jacqui Smith (The Rt. Hon. Broness Smith of Malvern) as new Minister for Skills. The brief includes Skills England, T-Levels, careers advice, apprenticeships (including a new growth and skills levy), local skills improvement plans, and further education.
At the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP is Secretary of State, and Philip Hunt (The Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE) is Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero.
At the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP is Secretary of State, and Emma Hardy MP (a former shadow Education Minister) is Minister for Water and Flooding.
Skills England
Through its substantial work with the former Green Jobs Delivery Group, Energy & Utility Skills is well placed to work with the new Skills England, that will be established over the next 9 to 12 months, to ensure that the sector’s skills needs are understood by policy makers.
Skills England will work collaboratively with key partners to meet skills needs across all regions for the next decade. Taking on the functions currently with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE), it will bring together central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions, providing strategic oversight of the post-16 skills system aligned to the government’s new Industrial Strategy. This will include reform of the apprenticeship levy.
T-Levels and qualifications reform
Following proposals made before the election, the new Secretary of State for Education, The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, has said that the Department for Education (DfE) will “undertake a short pause and review of post-16 qualification reform at level 3 and below, concluding before the end of the year”.
The immediate impact is that the defunding of some Btecs and other alternatives to T- Levels scheduled for the last week of July 2024 has been put on hold. The full list can be found here and includes some older gas, electrical and plumbing qualifications.
Only the 2024 defunding schedule has been paused so far. Subsequent phases of the reforms have not been paused at present but will be included within the scope of the review.
Many long-established qualifications, such as Btecs, are due to have funding support withdrawn as they are displaced by T-Levels. There are no plans to introduce a T-Level for the energy and utilities sector, and shortly before the election the T-Level programme was placed under review.
The first learners on T-Levels in the Engineering & Manufacturing Route are due to receive their results this month and some of these may aim to enter the energy and utilities workforce, which would provide the first opportunity for members to understand the full impact of the programme. While some skills stakeholders wish to see the defunding of older qualifications halted altogether, and others are keen to press ahead with T-Levels, sector businesses want more clarity on the policy than the recent statement offers. Energy & Utility Skills will continue to work with Skills England and the DfE to ensure members’ concerns are understood.
Advanced British Standard cancellation
Plans for a new Advanced British Standard (ABS) baccalaureate-style qualification were announced by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in October. Responding to a consultation on the proposals that reflected members’ concerns, Energy & Utility Skills opposed the reforms, and the plans have now been officially discarded, with the intended funds being diverted to other priorities.
Scottish post-school education and skills reform legislation
The Scottish Government announced that latest phase of its Post-school Education and Skills Reform in June, with a consultation seeking views on proposals for legalisation to simply the funding system.
Energy & Utility Skills is submitting a response to the consultation, which closes on 20th September, and is happy to support any members who are submitting their own response.
The review is keen to hear from industry groups and CEO Phil Beach has offered support to Graeme Dey MSP, Minister for Higher and Further Education, in its work of evaluating the skills body landscape and ensuring that it delivers for sector employers.
For any questions on policy issues please contact carl.jordan@euskills.co.uk or grace.storey@euskills.co.uk