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Covid: PM promises 'radical' shake-up of adult education Covid: PM promises 'radical' shake-up of adult education
(about 4 hours later)
Boris Johnson has vowed "radical" changes to the adult education system in England to help boost the post-Covid economy.Boris Johnson has vowed "radical" changes to the adult education system in England to help boost the post-Covid economy.
The prime minister said the pandemic had "massively accelerated" changes to the world of work, and made training gaps "painfully apparent".The prime minister said the pandemic had "massively accelerated" changes to the world of work, and made training gaps "painfully apparent".
He said funding changes could help end the "bogus distinction" between academic and practical learning. He said funding changes could help end the "bogus distinction" between academic and vocational learning.
Labour said the plans would not reverse the impact of "a decade of cuts". But Labour said the plans would not make up for "a decade of cuts".
Speaking at a further education college in Exeter, Mr Johnson said there was currently not "anywhere near enough" support for people who don't attend university. Speaking at a further education college in Exeter, Mr Johnson said the government currently provides "virtually no free training" for people older than 23.
He added that the government cannot "save every job" amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but wants to help people find new work. He added that the government cannot "save every job" amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but better training would help people find new work.
The prime minister announced that adults in England without an A-level or equivalent qualification will be offered a fully funded college course. He said a new "lifetime skills guarantee" would offer a fully funded college course to people over 18 in England without an A-level or equivalent qualification.
Funding for courses offering "skills valued by employers" will be made available from next April, and a full list of the courses will be announced next month. The commitment will be paid for under an already-announced £2.5bn boost to England's National Skills Fund coming into effect next April.
The announcement comes amid fears that unemployment is set to grow, as the economy slumps in the wake of the pandemic. Funding will be offered for courses offering "skills valued by employers" - with full list to be announced next month.
The prime minister added that the government would make higher education loans more flexible, to allow people to "space out their study across their lifetimes".
PM tries to offer some hope amid Covid gloom
Whether it's Boris Johnson's "levelling up" agenda or previous governments' promises to tackle the skills gap, some of what we've heard today may sound familiar.
For example, that the supply of skilled workers in certain industries simply isn't meeting demand, and calls to end the "snootiness" between academic and vocational qualifications.
Also familiar was the suggestion that the economy is evolving, at speed, as technology changes the way we live.
Coronavirus has, it's argued, accelerated the latter trend with, for example, more working from home and online shopping.
And that therefore the task of re-directing workers into industries where there's a shortage of workers has been made more urgent.
With fears unemployment will continue to rise, particularly in hospitality and retail, the government is saying that there will be more support for retraining.
But this announcement also comes a week after ministers opted for measures such as the 10pm curfew in bars and pubs.
That's led to accusations that this government is actually causing job losses in already hard-hit sectors.
With that in mind, and amid all the gloomier headlines, Boris Johnson may want to be the person offering some help and some hope.
The question is whether it's enough and in time.
Mr Johnson said the pandemic had "compressed" a "revolution" to the jobs market caused by trends such as online shopping.Mr Johnson said the pandemic had "compressed" a "revolution" to the jobs market caused by trends such as online shopping.
He added that although some jobs would fall away, he wanted people to take advantage of "new opportunities opening up with dizzying speed".He added that although some jobs would fall away, he wanted people to take advantage of "new opportunities opening up with dizzying speed".
The PM's speech comes as: Meanwhile, the government's Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said care workers, butchers, and bricklayers should go on the UK's "shortage occupation list".
Covid sharpens desire to improve skills The recommended move would be easier for migrants to get a work visa for those jobs after the post-Brexit transition period ends in January.
This shows how much the Covid outbreak has changed everything around it.
This plan to give further education students a fairer share of funding goes all the way back to a report from Theresa May's time in office.
That was about tackling deep-rooted weaknesses in vocational education and reversing a lack of financial support.
But now - when this appears as a White Paper - expect it to be re-framed as a battle to retrain millions of adults whose jobs have been threatened by the pandemic.
Further education colleges will be put on the frontline of providing the type of modern skills that will be durable enough to withstand the changes that Covid-19 is making to the jobs market.
This could mean funding for digital skills, for instance, for those whose livelihoods are disappearing in retail.
With a winter of uncertainty about what happens next for many jobs - access to retraining for adults of all ages will be important as never before.
Asked about the recommendations of the MAC, Mr Johnson said he wanted the UK to remain open to "talented people" but also ensure "people growing up in this country get the opportunities and the skills that they need".
The offer of courses to adults without an A-level will be paid for from England's National Skills Fund, which the Conservatives pledged to boost by £2.5bn during last year's general election.
The government also says it wants to make higher education loans more flexible, with the aim of letting people "space out" their learning throughout their lives rather than in three- or four-year blocks, enabling more part-time study.
It said the changes would be backed by investment in college buildings and facilities, including more than £1.5bn in capital funding.
Further details will be set out in an education white paper later in the year.
In other plans, small businesses will be offered financial incentives to take on apprentices and £8m will be spent on skills "boot camps" in West Yorkshire, south-west England, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to cover sectors like construction and engineering.In other plans, small businesses will be offered financial incentives to take on apprentices and £8m will be spent on skills "boot camps" in West Yorkshire, south-west England, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to cover sectors like construction and engineering.
This follows pilots in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands that focused on digital skills.This follows pilots in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands that focused on digital skills.
And the government's online Skills Toolkit, a collection of training resources launched in the spring to help people acquire jobs skills ahead of businesses reopening, will be expanded to include 62 additional courses.And the government's online Skills Toolkit, a collection of training resources launched in the spring to help people acquire jobs skills ahead of businesses reopening, will be expanded to include 62 additional courses.
Responding to the government's measures, Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green said: "A week ago Labour called for a National Retraining Strategy fit for the crisis Britain faces, but what the government proposes is simply a mix of reheated old policies and funding that won't be available until April. Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green called the new funding announcement "a mix of reheated old policies and funding that won't be available until April".
"By then many workers could have been out of work for nearly a year, and the Tories still think that they will need to take out loans to get the training they will need to get back in work.""By then many workers could have been out of work for nearly a year, and the Tories still think that they will need to take out loans to get the training they will need to get back in work."
She added the plans would not give workers "the skills and support they need in the months ahead". Her party has previously called for the money in the National Skills Fund to be brought forward to tackle the crisis.
CBI director general Dame Carolyn Fairbairn said the "significant" unemployment coronavirus is leaving in its wake "only accelerates the need for people to develop new skills and adapt to new ways of working".CBI director general Dame Carolyn Fairbairn said the "significant" unemployment coronavirus is leaving in its wake "only accelerates the need for people to develop new skills and adapt to new ways of working".
"The lifetime skills guarantee and flexible loans to support bitesize learning are a strong start but to really shift gears, this must be backed up by meaningful progress on evolving the apprenticeship levy into a flexible skills levy," she added."The lifetime skills guarantee and flexible loans to support bitesize learning are a strong start but to really shift gears, this must be backed up by meaningful progress on evolving the apprenticeship levy into a flexible skills levy," she added.
The apprenticeship levy - introduced in 2017 - takes 0.5% of the salary bill from major employers that have an annual pay bill over £3m, with the intention of using the money to improve skills and provide training.The apprenticeship levy - introduced in 2017 - takes 0.5% of the salary bill from major employers that have an annual pay bill over £3m, with the intention of using the money to improve skills and provide training.
How would you benefit from this offer to do free courses? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.How would you benefit from this offer to do free courses? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: