It’s been a couple of weeks since the Milburn report was published, and I like everyone have been digesting the report and the analysis. Like a well-trained student,...
Britain’s NEET crisis is no longer a warning sign; it is a structural failure. The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures (Jan-March 2026) estimate...
Across further and higher education, widening participation has become one of the defining policy priorities of the past two decades. Institutions have rightly focused on...
Young people today are entering a world in upheaval. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, record-breaking temperatures, and the accelerating rise of AI is...
According to the latest ONS labour market data, youth unemployment has hit 14.7%. That means one in seven young people looking for work can't find...
I was delighted to work with colleagues at FE News’ Breaking Barriers event on a construction job. We worked to take apart the youth employment...
For too long, the national conversation around success has treated university as the default route into a professional career. Yet across the UK, thousands of...
At the start of this month, leaders from across government, further education, skills, employability and employer groups gathered for the Breaking Barriers Collective, hosted by...
There is a particular kind of honesty that emerges when a room full of practitioners, advocates and leaders agrees to stop being polite about a...
The publication of the Milburn interim review on young people and work arrives at an important moment for England’s education, employment and skills system. With...
This is the Skills and Apprenticeships News category page on FE News. This is a page that has pooled together thought leadership articles and videos from influencers and key decision makers discussing future skills policy, how skills can solve the productivity puzzle, the latest developments in Apprenticeships and skills for the jobs of the future and how technology is transforming the core or essential skills for the jobs of the future as we are now in the fourth industrial revolution. Here is the place to explore the latest ideas and skills strategies from leaders across the World of Further Education, Skills and Apprenticeships.
So if you are interested in finding out the latest strategies, expert opinions and developments from the Apprenticeship Levy, to the Growth and Skills Levy News, APAR, lifelong learning, micro-credentials, Degree apprenticeships or qualification reform and skills policy news. Then you are in the right place. Check out the latest opinion pieces, thought leadership, videos and skills strategies from experts across the World of Apprenticeships, Skills and Work Based Learning. FE News is a platform, so the thought leadership articles are from actual Apprenticeship industry professionals, rather than through the lens of a reporter or editor. This is why the content on FE News is truly the voice of the FE and Skills Sector.
Apprenticeships provide talent pipelines with in-demand skills crucial for future growth. Work-integrated learning moulds adaptable workers as jobs evolve. Apprentices gain relevant experience by bypassing graduate skills gaps. Custom programs matched to business priorities also promote diversity and social mobility. Competency measures further shift focus to capabilities over qualifications. Government incentives and industry partnerships in areas with acute shortages reinforce the value of developing talent via apprenticeships at all career stages.
Evaluate skills gaps and ageing. Build versatility in digital, data, and regulatory domains to minimise shortage risks and keep institutional knowledge despite turnover. Also, focus on inclusive leadership.
Automation and AI first policies will transform most jobs, prioritising human skills in problem-solving across disciplines. Human creativity, empathy and teamwork will productively integrate with efficiency. Technical skills should connect humanities and STEM.
Skills audits, micro-learning, and mentor guidance enabled through internal job rotations and external partnerships. Leaders should exemplify continuous learning. Incentivise upskilling via subsidised classes in emerging domains. Promote peer coaching too.
Discover more insights and strategies on FE skills and apprenticeships by exploring our latest articles, videos, and resources below.
In my three decades as a specialist in the early years sector, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that confront the industry. The early years sector…
REC’s Kate Shoesmith discusses how Apprenticeship reforms are unlikely to achieve the PM’s aim to ‘unlock a tidal wave of opportunity’ because the overwhelming majority…
Most employers believe degree apprenticeships are key to attracting talent and growing their business and yet a majority would discontinue them without support from the…
The Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance (MAA) is proud to announce a strategic research partnership with Learning and Work Institute (L&W). This collaboration takes forward both organisations’…
The Office for Students (OfS) has received guidance from the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education on…
The Department for Education has confirmed that Luke Hall MP is the new Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education. The announcement comes…
The Tomorrow’s Talent award at this year’s Apprenticeship Awards Cymru was won by Higher Apprentice Heledd Roberts, described by her employer as an “injection of…
Team leader Laura Chapman’s passion for learning has been rewarded with a coveted national award. Laura, who works for MotoNovo Finance in Cardiff, was named…
A coveted apprenticeship award has been presented to a truly inspirational woman who rebuilt her life and developed a successful career after surviving a gas…
Rhondda Valley teenager Gwynfor Jones, who credits work-based learning for helping him achieve “the impossible”, has been recognised with a national apprenticeship award. Gwynfor, 18,…
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