From education to employment

Over 9 million jobs excluded from Conservatives’ Lifetime Skills Guarantee

Toby Perkins MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Further Education and Skills

@UKLabour – Over 9 million jobs excluded from Conservatives’ skills ‘guarantee’ – comments from @TobyPerkinsMP 

Over 9.4 million jobs are in sectors excluded from Boris Johnson’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, new House of Commons Library analysis for Labour shows, limiting opportunities for adults to retrain and gain new skills after the pandemic.

The Conservative Government’s failure to manage the impacts of the pandemic has seen the unemployment rate rise to five per cent, 1.7 million people, with sectors such as retail and hospitality, which have faced significant challenges over the past year, worst affected.

However, many of these sectors, from retail and hospitality to travel and tourism, are excluded from the Lifetime Skills Guarantee training offer, despite Conservative claims that the Guarantee would enable all adults to gain a level 3 qualification (equivalent to two A-levels). Across the country this means over a third of all current jobs will be excluded from the training programme, limiting opportunities for the sectors worst affected by the pandemic to rebuild. 

This follows revelations that over half of the qualifications on offer through the Guarantee do not meet the Department for Education’s own definition of a full level 3 qualification, with over a third lacking the required guided learning hours. Adults who already hold a level 3 qualification are also excluded from accessing new training under the scheme, despite Boris Johnson’s claim that he was giving adults the chance to “train and retrain”.

Toby Perkins MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Further Education and Skills, said:

“You would be forgiven for thinking the Conservatives’ Lifetime Skills Guarantee is an April Fool’s joke, rather than a plan to help reskill our country after this pandemic.

“The Conservatives’ mishandling of the Covid crisis has led the UK to experience the worst economic crisis of any major economy. Their limited plans will now leave millions unable to access the skills they need to play their part in our recovery.

“Minister should urgently widen eligibility for the Lifetime Skills Guarantee to ensure it reaches all adults who could benefit.”

Unemployment rate has risen to five per cent, 1.7 million people. Announcing the Lifetime Skills Guarantee in September the Prime Minister said: “today I want to set out how this government will offer a Lifetime Skills Guarantee to help people train and retrain”

Over 9.4 million jobs are excluded from the Lifetime Skills Guarantee across England, House of Commons Library: 

People employed in industry sectors linked to excluded sub-sector areas

2019, England

     

Region

Number employed (‘000s)

 

% of all employed

London

2,176,000

 

41

South East

1,566,300

 

36

South West

909,800

 

35

North East

377,200

 

34

North West

1,189,500

 

34

East

927,200

 

32

East Midlands

695,600

 

32

West Midlands

851,300

 

32

Yorkshire and The Humber

786,800

 

31

England total

9,479,700

 

35

Source: ONS Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES)

Research by the House of Commons Library shows the sectors that are excluded from the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, and the number of jobs in each sector. 

People employed in industry sectors linked to excluded sub-sector areas

 

 

2019, England

 

 

 

Industry sector

Sub-sector subject area

Number employed (‘000s)

% of all employed

Retail and wholesale

Retailing and wholesaling

3,574

13.1

Accommodation and food service activities

Hospitality and catering

2,033

7.5

Information and communication

Publishing & information services; Media & communication

1,188

4.4

Arts, entertainment and recreation

Performing Arts; Sport & recreation; Crafts, creative arts & design; Literature & Culture

670

2.5

Administration of the State and the economic and social policy of the community

Sociology and social policy

645

2.4

Office administrative, office support and other business support activities

Administration

500

1.8

Legal activities

Law and legal sciences

304

1.1

Advertising and market research

Marketing and sales

156

0.6

Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service and related activities

Travel & tourism

89

0.3

Architectural activities

Architecture; Urban planning

89

0.3

Justice and judicial activities

Law and legal sciences

80

0.3

Veterinary activities

Animal care and vetinary science

74

0.3

Activities of religious organisations

Theology & religious studies

64

0.2

Research and experimental development on social sciences and humanities

Social sciences; Geography; History

7

0.0

Translation and interpretation activities

Languages

6

0.0

Activities of political organisations

Politics

4

0.0

Total

 

9,483

35

Source: ONS Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES)

 

 

 

 


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