Long-time observers of the UK skills system are prone to wearily observing that it is fragmented, complex and a victim of policy inconsistency over time....
According to the Student Mental Health Study, 37% of first-year university students show moderate-to-severe anxiety or depression. This is nearly double the national rate for...
The biggest challenges facing the further education workforce are no great secret. Pay remains a big concern. Funding pressures limit what colleges can offer, while recruitment difficulties...
For years, employers have been telling us that something fundamental is missing in the labour market. Not technical skills, although those matter enormously, but the...
The number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) has topped one million for the first time since 2013. Alan Milburn's independent...
Ladi Mohammed and Shani Wijemuni discuss how you turn better understanding of the skills an economy needs into better decisions by people, employers, and training...
A member of your team discloses a neurodivergent condition. You do the right thing. You agree to an adjustment. You understandably feel that the difficult...
The new Burnham led government has only been in power for a couple of months but it has already done enough to indicate that it...
I read three things recently that felt worth pulling together, if only to highlight them rather than fully make sense of them. The first was...
V Levels could offer something the post-16 system badly needs: greater flexibility for young people who want vocational learning without having to specialise as early...
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.
On 2 December 2025, Ministers Shane Reti and Penny Simmonds released New Zealand’s new Tertiary Education Strategy for 2025-2030. In this fourth article in my…
Hydrogen Safe, the hydrogen safety training specialist, is continuing its work in partnership with the South Essex Colleges Group to deliver its condensed Level 3…
People and projects transforming lives through learning across Wales are being sought for this year’s Inspire! Adult Learning Awards which are now open for nominations.…
Apprenticeship Governing Boards: What does 2026 hold? I’ve spent many years sitting on or advising the boards and committees of independent training providers, employer providers…
I’m incredibly proud to share that I’ve now completed my Level 7 Senior Leadership apprenticeship at The University of Manchester: Alliance Manchester Business School – graduating with a…
The Education and Training Foundation’s recent Achieving Social Value in Further Education and Skills report puts into words something many of us working in apprenticeships…
An award of nearly half a million pounds from the Department for Education is helping Bradford College to support more young adults into the construction…
The registrations for SkillBuild, the UK’s largest and longest-running multi-trade skills competition, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), are now open. SkillBuild invites the UK’s top construction trainee talent,…
New research reveals that employers in England face substantially higher costs of training apprentices compared with their counterparts in Germany and Austria. If the employer costs are so high, will this stand…
What a whirlwind 2025 has been for anyone working in skills policy. In addition to the significant changes to apprenticeships, we’ve seen a renewed focus…
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