AI and Uncertainty Are Gnawing at the Edges of the Job Market
The latest labour market figures from the ONS are pretty dismal reading for job seekers, particularly the young. While the overall unemployment rate is 5.2%,…
Growth and Skills levy
Here is a dedicated tag page on FE News for articles and thought leadership on the Growth and Skills Levy.
The Growth and Skills Levy is a part of an Election Manifesto pledge from the Labour party launched in June 2024. When launching the manifesto, the Labour Party said that they will also reform the Apprenticeships Levy with the current rigid rules ignore vital skills and training needed to access apprenticeships. Labour will create a flexible Growth and Skills Levy, with Skills England consulting on eligible courses to ensure qualifications offer value for money for employers and learners.
What is the Growth and Skills Levy?
Back in September 2022 Keir Starmer announced that if the Labour Party was to win the next election the Labour party would give businesses the flexibility they need to train their workforce and deliver growth, by turning the Apprenticeships levy into a ‘Growth and Skills Levy’.
In an exclusive interview with Tom Bewick on SkillsWorld LIVE with Lord Blunkett (15th July 2022), Lord Blunkett first announced the Labour Party’s plans for a more flexible Apprenticeship Levy system.
This then evolved into a Labour Party election manifesto pledge for a Flexible Growth and Skills Levy. This was launched on the 13th June by Keir Starmer (Labour Leader) in the run up to the 4th July 2024 General Election.
Please see the articles and video interviews below of thought leaders unpacking the Growth and Skills Levy and what this means for employers, for Apprentices and learners, for training providers and awarding organisations.
Pragmatism, Partnership, and the Pace of Change: A New Chapter for Qualifications
The English government’s technical qualifications and apprenticeship reform ambitions are laudable. However, as we stare down the barrel of 2027, I must be candid about…
Leading Derby training provider urges big firms to “use it or lose it” as Government reforms increase chance of missing out on apprenticeships funding
The director of a global training provider has urged businesses to “use it or lose it” as Government reforms taking effect this year mean many…
Transport Committee Report: Restore Level 7 Apprenticeships for Over-22s and Increase Levy Flexibility to Address Manufacturing Skills Crisis
Transport Manufacturing Faces Skills Crisis: Committee Calls for Apprenticeship Funding Reform and Greater Levy Flexibility A new Transport Committee report has urged the Government to…
Where Are Apprenticeships Going Under The DWP?
The month of January, named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, is a fitting time to reflect on the way England’s apprenticeship system has evolved…
Looking Ahead at 2026
The final months of 2025 brought a flurry of government announcements across FE and skills, from the Post-16 White Paper and apprenticeship assessment reforms to…
Don’t leave young workers’ futures to ‘accidental managers’
Leading UK bosses are warning that any reductions in funding for management training will make it harder to solve the UK’s youth unemployment crisis. They…
£140 Million Apprenticeship Pilot for Local Mayors to Match Young People and NEETs Into Local Jobs
DWP Announces that 50,000 more young people will benefit from Apprenticeships to match skills to local jobs. 50,000 young people across the country will be…
How Do We Create And Design V Levels, To Be Valued Levels? FE Soundbite Edition 825
Welcome to FE Soundbite Edition 825: 29th November 2025. How do we create and design V Levels, to be Valued Levels? This is the weekly…
Empower Local Partnerships to Remove Barriers to Social Mobility says Lords Committee
“There are almost one million young people not in education, employment or training. This is shocking. We need educational reform and the devolution of power and support…