The post-16 white paper has the potential to deliver for businesses

In common with the industrial strategy published earlier in the year, much of last week’s white paper’s diagnosis of the post-16 education and skills system in England is accurate and recognisable to manufacturers.

Firm commitments on funding for further education, investment in equipment, and teacher recruitment and retention through initiatives such as an industry workforce exchange reflect challenges businesses face when sourcing local training and will help to address them.

The clear statement that public investment – including the growth and skills levy – should be tied to the eight growth-driving sectors of the industrial strategy should focus the government on significantly increasing apprenticeship training.

In re-opening the debate over technical and vocational qualifications at level 3, the government seems to share its predecessor’s view that a crowded field is too confusing for employers. Streamlining into three routes – A Levels, V Levels and T Levels – could help.

The proposals are similar to the Advanced British Standard, but split into three qualifications rather than one.

The ultimate goals – simplifying the landscape for employers, preserving student choice, and placing academic, technical and vocational routes on the same footing with solid English, maths and digital foundations – are the right ones.

Manufacturers welcomed the prime minister’s announcement of a new participation target, including technical study and apprenticeships, and the white paper adds detail to this commitment.

Nevertheless, in the short term, the system could become more confusing for employers. Having just adapted to T Levels and welcomed last year’s pause on defunding level 3 qualifications, another upheaval risks creating uncertainty.

The skills minister will need to communicate quickly and clearly the role of V Levels and use employer groups to raise awareness and understanding.

The government should also be clear about the future of T Levels. Industry has supported this qualification, and early results are positive.

Between 2024 and 2025, there was a 58 per cent increase in engineering and manufacturing T Level students, along with improved outcomes in training and employment. Ministers must not jeopardise T Levels just as they are bearing fruit, and should assess the new V Levels’ impact carefully.

While the white paper says little directly about apprenticeships, there are encouraging signs. It defines the growth and skills levy as part of public investment in skills, stating that investment should first benefit sectors like advanced manufacturing.

Make UK’s Industrial Strategy Skills Commission called for levy funds to be ringfenced for the skills system – following this commitment, those funds should prioritise key apprenticeship standards in priority sectors.

There is additional substance on short courses funded by the levy, described as ‘apprenticeship units’. Using existing apprenticeship standards ensures quality and relevance within the government’s short implementation window (from April 2026).

However, these short courses must be employer-led, lead to progression and not undermine full-time apprenticeships. Greater ambition could also be shown in supporting skills bootcamps and higher technical qualifications.

As the skills minister who legislated for the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) for qualifications between levels 4 and 6, it is good to see continued government commitment. This will improve upskilling and retraining options for adults and could transform higher education participation.

Taken as a whole, the direction of travel is good. The white paper will reassure manufacturers that the government is taking skills reform seriously. 

Now, it must clearly set out plans for the role of V Levels, the details of the growth and skills levy, and how all changes will be driven by employer needs – especially in industrial strategy sectors like advanced manufacturing, which will deliver economic growth and build an apprenticeships and skills nation fit for the 21st century.

Robert Halfon is a former Conservative MP and minister for skills, apprenticeships and higher education

‘One bad employer’ blamed for provider’s ‘inadequate’ Ofsted result

A specialist security training provider has blamed the behaviour of “one bad employer” for its ‘inadequate’ Ofsted inspection result, published today. 

White Point Solutions, which began publicly funded apprenticeship training in January 2024, was handed the lowest overall inspection grade following its first full inspection this summer. 

Inspectors came knocking in early July to examine the provider’s training of 25 apprentices on level 2 and 3 security service standards. At the time of the inspection, all apprentices worked for one employer which supplied security services to sites such as universities.

But the inspection had to be postponed. Stuart Catton, a director at the provider, told FE Week Ofsted “insisted” on pushing ahead with the inspection even though the CEO and head of quality were out of the country.

Catton told FE Week he was not in charge of the education side of the business, so was not best placed to answer inspectors’ questions. 

By day two of the inspection, Catton revealed he was struggling with mental health issues. Ofsted then agreed to a one-month delay, and the inspection resumed on August 7.

The watchdog judged quality of education, leadership and management and apprenticeships at White Point Solutions to be ‘inadequate’. Behaviour and attitudes and personal development were graded ‘requires improvement.’

Apprentices’ line managers had “little to no involvement in training” and were unaware of their progress, the report said. 

White Point Solutions was criticised for creating “frustration” amongst apprentices nearing the end of their training for the “lack of information” on their end-point assessment preparation.

Inspectors also found misalignment with on- and off-the-job training after “too few” apprentices receive adequate time off from their jobs to attend training, which was also an issue noted in last year’s monitoring visit.

But Catton blamed the only employer it was working with at the time of inspection, which is one of the biggest employers in the country, he claimed.

“We only worked with one employer, and they haven’t held up their end of the bargain, making the apprentices available for off the job training,” he said.

Catton also refuted the inspector’s criticism that too few apprentices complete and achieve their qualification in the planned timescales.

“A typical time frame would be when you’ve got an employer on board who’s actually investing in the staff and giving them the time to do the work,” he said.

He added: “We’ve got about five or six different employees now, and it’s a completely different scenario. They’re all giving their staff time to work. We feel that we’ve been judged by one bad employer, but that was the only employer we had then.”

Private providers judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted are usually sanctioned by the Department for Education, which can include contract termination.

Government reveals skills strategy for clean energy sector in first ‘jobs plan’

The government’s first “jobs plan” has been published, setting out how it hopes to supply the clean energy sector with hundreds of thousands more trained workers in the next five years.

It is the first of a series of plans expected to set out how the government and employers will invest in training for “British workers” to bring down immigration and grow priority sectors.

Civil service “experts” have been tasked with producing jobs plans for each of the government’s priority sectors, setting out what “actions” will be taken to meet forecast demand for jobs.

A range of new and existing actions on skills are in the 81-page ‘clean energy jobs plan: creating a new generation of good jobs to deliver energy security’, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) earlier this week.

The plan forecasts that across the UK, jobs in the ‘clean energy’ sector will grow from around 440,000 in 2023 to 860,000 by 2030. This includes 31 priority occupations such as those in skilled construction, metal and electronic trades, as well as higher qualified engineers and machine operatives.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job.

“Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy, a generation of young people in our industrial heartlands can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.”

But any business investment?

While the clean energy jobs plan refers to large industrial investments that are expected to generate tens of thousands of new jobs, it contains limited details of new skills investments by businesses.

This is despite citing evidence of “significant underinvestment” in skills by employers in recent years and pledges in the new post-16 education and skills white paper to help businesses “invest further” in skills pipelines.

Addressing this, the plan says it aims to set “clear expectations” and create the “certainty” that industry needs to invest in skills.

Millions for more engineers

Announced in the industrial strategy this summer, the government has earmarked £182 million across the next four years to address engineering skills needs.

This includes £47 million to fund “engineering skills for adults”, £2 million to increase the number of engineering T Levels offered and £8 million in capital funding for clean energy engineering courses at levels 4 and 5.

Some of this funding will also go towards five new clean energy technical excellence colleges (TECs), with delivery expected to begin from April next year.

However, details of exactly how much funding is available for the new TECs are yet to be confirmed.

Build on what we’ve got

The UK and Scottish governments have also announced up to £20 million in funding to help North Sea oil and gas workers transition to “new roles”. This will extend a £1 million scheme, launched this year, until 2028-29.

Regional skills pilots in Cheshire West and Chester and North and North-East Lincolnshire will receive up to £2.5 million for “innovative” schemes to support workers “moving into clean energy”.

An existing energy skills passport scheme run by industry bodies RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK will also be expanded to help workers in more roles move from “carbon-intensive industries” to clean energy sectors.

Veterans and prison leavers

A 12-month pilot led by Mission Renewable will connect veterans and service leavers with clean energy careers in the east of England, which the government hopes to learn from to “strengthen veteran pathways” across the UK.

The government also plans to prototype “innovative training and job-matching approaches” for non-violent offenders in regions with “critical energy sector vacancies”.

Keep coordinating

DESNZ has established a minister-led “steering group” to support joined-up implementation across the UK, “regular discussions” with trade union general secretaries, and “wider stakeholder engagement” on “specific themes”.

Both industry and government bodies such as the Careers and Enterprise Company have also committed to promoting clean energy careers, including through a UK-wide “awareness and attraction campaign” and engagement with young people.

DESNZ promises to “monitor clean energy jobs and skills trends” and provide “regular updates” on the progress of its jobs plan actions.

ASCL and NEU to support NAHT in legal action against Ofsted

Two unions will formally support the National Association of Headteachers’ legal action against Ofsted over its new inspection framework, it has been announced.

The National Education Union and Association of School and College Leaders will provide witness statements for leaders’ union NAHT’s judicial review against the inspections watchdog.

Ofsted is proposing to issue schools and FE providers with one of five colour-coded grades ranging from ‘causing concern’ to ‘exemplary’ across up to 16 different inspection areas.

But the NAHT filed a claim for judicial review in the High Court in May, warning its members feared the increase in the number of sub-judgments “will only increase high-stakes accountability and pressure”.

The union is opposing the report card proposals on legal grounds, “arguing that adequate consultation has not been conducted regarding the plan for a new five-point scale”.

Now, the NEU and ASCL have confirmed they will provide witness statements for the review and will support the legal action going forward. FE Week’s sister publication Schools Week has asked which unions will fund the legal action.

An Ofsted spokesperson said it is “really disappointing that these unions have taken this stance”.

Legal action ‘the only avenue’

Pepe Dilasio

Pepe Di’lasio, ASCL general secretary, said: “It is a sorry state of affairs that legal action is the only avenue open to get Ofsted to think about a new inspection system which will clearly place more pressure on leaders and teachers.”

ASCL dropped proposals to ask leaders to quit as Ofsted inspectors earlier this month, but said it was mulling legal action.

“We have spent months trying to persuade the inspectorate to understand that its five-point grading scale will certainly not improve stress levels,” Di’lasio added. “However Ofsted has remained resolutely intransigent, and we have to turn to other means to protect the education workforce.”

NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said supporting the legal action “is a reflection of the strength of feeling from our members that these proposals should not go ahead”.

He said the reforms “do not fix the fundamental problems with inspection, and the new grading scale will only make things worse, not better”.

Daniel Kebede
Daniel Kebede

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said the NEU and ASCL’s support “sends a clear and public message that the sector is united in its view that the consultation was fundamentally flawed and that the revised framework represents a clear risk to the health and wellbeing of those we represent”.

NAHT is currently waiting for the court to give permission for the case to proceed.

An Ofsted spokesperson said: “We have every confidence that our new-look reports will be better for parents and their children – because they provide more detailed and useful information. 

“We also believe our revised inspections will be fairer, because they will highlight strengths and areas for improvement, and not come to a single overall judgement.

“It’s really disappointing that these unions have taken this stance – even after months of genuine discussions between us. Our pilot inspections have gone very well, which makes us confident that headteachers will recognise a positive change when inspections begin.”

Unqualified apprentices could pass under assessment reforms, employers warn

Government reforms to apprenticeship assessments risk allowing apprentices to qualify without proving they are competent, employers have warned.

Plans currently being developed by Skills England involve assessment bodies testing only a sample of knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) rather than all of them, inferring overall competence from partial evidence.

A group of 22 construction industry bodies this week wrote to prime minister Keir Starmer to accuse officials of a “dumbed down” approach that will cause “a race to the bottom”.

Coordinated by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), the letter said: “Whilst Skills England have gone on to qualify the use of sampling somewhat, it is likely any form of sampling will create inconsistency across different assessment providers and stimulate a race to the bottom, as providers are incentivised to create lighter touch assessments to secure better pass rates and cost efficiencies.”

A Skills England spokesperson told FE Week they have now paused a pilot that was testing the changes to the level 2 carpentry and joinery apprenticeship “subject to further consultation”.

A ‘dangerous’ shortcut

The employers claimed that if the reforms move ahead, the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), which certifies cards for workers, will “no longer recognise apprenticeships as they will not be confident individuals who have met the minimum standard to demonstrate competence and safety”.

A CSCS spokesperson told FE Week that the organisation has itself raised concerns that the proposed reforms to apprenticeship assessment “could undermine the confidence of both employers and apprentices”.

“The CSCS Alliance urges government and regulators to work closely with employers and industry bodies to ensure that reforms strengthen—not weaken—the quality and credibility of construction apprenticeships,” they added.

“Safeguarding competence, consistency, and trust in the assessment process is critical to the safety of the built environment and the sustainability of the construction workforce.”

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), a non-departmental public body, said it is “actively engaged” with Skills England and employers to “ensure that apprenticeship reforms support the construction industry’s skills needs whilst maintaining the safety and quality standards our sector requires”.

Helen Hewitt, chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation, said the government’s proposed apprenticeship reforms “risk dismantling the foundations of competence and safety in our industry”.

She told FE week: “By replacing rigorous, impartial assessments with lighter-touch alternatives, these changes threaten to dilute skills, undermine confidence and create dangerous inconsistencies across the construction sector.”

Hewitt added that should these changes go through, all apprenticeships delivered in England will be impacted meaning “other industry sectors should also be taking keen interest in the progress of these reforms”.

Concerns ‘pushed aside’

Skills England is currently testing new apprenticeship assessment “principles”, announced in February, through pilots for five standards: carpentry and joinery, assistant accountant, adult care worker, data technician and early years educator.

The government last week said this initial group of assessment plans are expected to be published “later this autumn”.

Construction employers involved in the carpentry and joinery assessment pilot hit out at the approach being taken by Skills England, accusing the government agency of a “clumsily managed” consultation process with unrealistic timelines imposed. 

“At every step of the process, the feedback provided by employers, awarding organisations, training providers and trade bodies has either been ignored or pushed aside by Skills England, with the line ‘we are following principles set by the Department for Education’,” the letter said.

FE Week understands at least one other trailblazer group involved in the pilots, for the adult care worker apprenticeship, has raised similar concerns with Skills England.

A Skills England spokesperson said: “We have listened to concerns from the construction industry. This was a pilot and changes to the apprenticeship were paused subject to further consultation.

“We seek to deliver apprenticeships that have the rigour and quality employers need, with the proportionate, timely and efficient assessment required.

“We value the views of the construction sector who we want to work with to get this right.”

Mandated qualification fears

Skills England’s reforms also state that new-style assessment plans will contain “no duplication of assessment, unless it is a statutory requirement”.

“For example, if there is already a mandatory industry recognised qualification that provides a licence to practise as part of the standard, the knowledge, skills and behaviours demonstrated in this do not need to be subsequently retested,” February’s announcement said.

Assessment organisation DSW Learning said it understands that Skills England will allow mandated qualifications to “become the sole form of assessment for many apprenticeships”.

David Pearson, DSW Learning chief executive, told FE Week his organisation has “significant concerns” over this proposal.

“Such qualifications were not designed for the purpose of assessing full occupational competence, which is the defining characteristic of an apprenticeship and has been for hundreds of years,” he said,

“We risk sleepwalking into a scenario where employers lose faith in the value and currency of apprenticeships, as clearly outlined in the BWF’s letter to the prime minister. It is vital that apprenticeships continue to convey full competence, and that a robust, skills-based assessment is used to validate this.”

Pearson explained that most of the mandated qualifications within apprenticeship standards are solely knowledge-based, and test just a sample of the curriculum with pass marks as low as 50 per cent.

“In this scenario, apprentices will not be assessed at all against the skills and will only have to demonstrate a small proportion of the knowledge to pass,” he said. 

“In most cases, apprentices may actively fail multiple elements of the assessment and still be marked as fully occupationally competent. This is a danger to apprentices, their colleagues, and the communities they serve.”

Nudge unit calls for ‘eye-catching’ national Ofsted inspection survey

Ofsted should consider introducing an annual version of its education inspection surveys and “emphasise” in inspector training how to reduce “the formality” of conversations with pupils and parents, a new report has recommended. 

The watchdog commissioned the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) to research how it can improve engagement with learners, carers and staff during its education inspections. 

It follows Ofsted’s ‘Big Listen’ exercise, which found some stakeholders would like better opportunities to have their views heard. 

Ofsted said it will be considering BIT’s recommendations as part of its ongoing reform programme.

Here’s what researchers found and recommended…

1. Introduce a new ‘eye-catching’ annual survey 

Researchers found many barriers to inspection survey completion, such as tight deadlines and technical wording. 

Some education providers struggle to circulate the inspection surveys in a timely way – with usually only a day to prepare for the visit – and some parents don’t always have time to complete it. 

Some groups of learners struggle to access the surveys without support, which can be tricky to organise in a short timescale. 

BIT said an additional annual survey would “complement” the current education inspection surveys and help inspectors hear from a broader and more representative range of views.

It would be an “eye-catching, high publicised, national ‘event’” with a longer completion window for all providers. 

People may feel more honest, if they know everyone across the country is currently giving feedback, and their provider isn’t being currently inspected, they added.

However, BIT warned of risks such as costs for Ofsted and a time lag between inspection.

2. Be less formal

Some people find speaking to an inspector “intimidating”, BIT found. 

“This can be especially true when they dress very formally, take notes while people are talking without explanation, or ask questions in public places. These things can make people less open.”

One primary school parent said: “You see them in the playground with their suit and their clipboard. They look like the taxman! It creates this fear and anxiety so you can’t really be yourself.” 

Parents of young people with SEND and those from disadvantaged backgrounds were particularly worried about being open. Some feared their feedback would not be confidential and that the child’s support could worsen as a result. 

Parents were also worried about saying the “wrong thing” that could impact their education provider. 

BIT recommended that inspector training should be “emphasising how to reduce the formality of conversations, where appropriate”.

They suggested inspectors should be clear that feedback is confidential, and provide reassurance that constructive feedback will be handled proportionately. 

Inspectors could also use play-based methods to help put younger children at ease. 

For children with SEND, BIT recommended training for inspectors on best practice for engaging with these pupils, such as using visual aids, drawing or alternative communication methods. 

3. Improve guidance shared with leaders

To help support education provider staff to share the necessary information during inspection, Ofsted could provide a simple checklist of actions alongside the inspection notification letter. 

BIT suggested also sending it to a nominated member of administrative staff, as well as the headteacher. 

Education providers could be asked to send communications through multiple challenges or the most appropriate one, such as WhatsApp, provider-app notifications or emails. 

Ofsted should also give education providers recommended subject lines to help the survey stand out in people’s busy inboxes. 

Posters with short URLs or QR codes for surveys could also help, BIT said.

4. Make online surveys easier to use

Some parents said they found accessing the Ofsted Parent View survey challenging and time-consuming, particularly on a mobile phone. 

BIT advised the watchdog simplify or remove altogether the registration step to help increase responses. It should also be made more mobile-friendly. 

Researchers also suggested providing a link to express interest in speaking to an inspector and only asking questions that were relevant to the respondent. 

5. Use AI to look at survey feedback quicker

Parents, children and staff told Ofsted they like writing their thoughts in their own words, and would like more chances to do this. 

But it may mean that Ofsted wouldn’t be able to read all the responses. 

BIT suggests artificial intelligence could be used to process responses. It may help inspectors identify lines of inquiry quicker without overwhelming them. 

To ensure responses with sensitive or serious content are not missed, the system could flag responses containing key words for the inspector to read individually. 

New V Levels qualification must build on the best of BTECs

What a start to the week for FE.  The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper marks a significant shift in the system of vocational education for young people that will help tackle the UK’s widening skills gap in industries vital to economic growth.  

We believe the UK needs a broad qualifications landscape, offering clearly defined pathways from foundational levels through to degrees and higher technical and professional qualifications. This will build a highly skilled workforce capable of delivering on the ambitions of the UK’s industrial strategy.   

As the UK’s largest awarding organisation, Pearson has extensive experience of delivering a range of post-16 qualifications, including BTECs, A levels, and T Levels.  Throughout the swirling debate around the future of vocational education in this country we have maintained that there should be a third route for students alongside A levels and T Levels.  Every young person should have access to high-quality technical and vocational qualifications, supported by clear progression pathways that offer choice, flexibility, and opportunity.  We are encouraged that government has now set a clear ambition and statement of support for this third route in perpetuity. The task ahead now is to define and deliver this in practice. 

While it is right to update and review our qualifications system so it’s fit for the future, we mustn’t dismiss or forget what has worked well. For decades, Pearson’s BTEC Nationals have helped millions of people enter the workforce, progress to further and higher education, and achieve their career ambitions.  

Changes like this don’t happen overnight and much of the finer, practical detail remains unclear in these early stages.  This will come in due course and we look forward to bringing our extensive experience in designing and delivering vocational qualifications to V Levels, working with the Department for Education and Ofqual to ensure the new qualification helps people build successful careers and equips employers with the skills they need to drive productivity and growth.   

One in five of the UK working population has one or more BTECs – it’s part of the fabric of people’s lives and careers in this country. From these many years of providing vocational qualifications to millions of students, we have learnt a number of valuable key lessons that we urge the government to consider as they begin this journey to create and launch V Levels: 

Progression to higher education

V Levels must have the same level of recognition from higher education as existing smaller vocational qualifications. BTECs provide a valuable route for students into higher education – around 20 per cent of entrants to nursing degrees hold a BTEC Level 3 National qualification, for example. We know that the demand for higher level skills will increase in the future and students taking vocational qualifications must be supported to progress both into employment, and into degrees and higher technical and professional qualifications, as a route to higher level employment. 

Accessibility of larger qualifications should be addressed on sector-by-sector basis

The ongoing defunding of larger vocational qualifications in key sectors – including BTECs in digital, health and social care, engineering, and creative media – remains a major concern. These qualifications are crucial pathways to both employment and higher education. Removing them before clear, scalable alternatives are in place risks leaving students without viable routes into industries already facing acute skills shortages.  Larger qualifications need to be made available until T Levels are made more accessible, and where occupational standards are not appropriate for the sector. Occupational standards at Level 3, and therefore T Levels, will not be relevant for all sectors.  

Relationship between qualifications and occupational standards

V Levels should not be based solely on occupational standards but based on content drawn from occupational standards alongside broader knowledge and skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and research, to ensure that learners can progress to higher level study. 

The assessment model will be critical

One of the strengths of BTECs is that they offer students, who may not thrive under a qualification based entirely on high-stakes exams, a path to succeed and progress through practical learning.  We welcome the recognition that V Levels will generally have an increased proportion of non-exam assessment compared to many A levels. A one-size fits all assessment model does not work and this approach will allow for valid assessment of applied knowledge and skills. 

Designing and delivering new qualifications will take time and we stand ready to work closely with DfE and Ofqual to understand the details, and start the process of developing new qualifications.  Our teams will also be working hard over the coming days, weeks and months, to support colleges, schools, teachers and students through any changes ahead.  

V Levels can streamline, but beware a re-badging exercise

The skills white paper sets out a promising vision for a streamlined post-16 system. But to avoid yet another iteration of the continuous and exhausting cycle of FE reform, care must be taken to ensure this vision is delivered on, not just re-badged.

The post-16 qualifications landscape has long been overcrowded and confusing, making it extremely difficult for students, parents and employers to navigate.  In our research at EPI, we showed using Ofqual’s VTQ (vocational and technical qualifications) landscape tool that students and parents often have hundreds, if not thousands of potential qualifications to choose from. 

This bloated and confused landscape is clearly not conducive to a high-quality and sustainable post-16 system. As such, the newly announced V Levels have the potential to make welcome improvements to a flawed system.

While T Levels were supposed to simplify this landscape and become the main vocational level 3 offer, there are clearly too many learners left without suitable qualifications – they want to study for a level 3 vocational qualification, but not to study for a narrow and large T Level. V Levels are a welcome arrival designed to sit alongside A and T Levels. In 2024, we proposed the introduction of smaller T Levels and we are pleased the white paper is following in this direction.

V Levels will also actively promote and enable students to take mixed-level 3 pathways, combining academic and vocational education into one programme. Our work has shown that these mixed tracks are becoming increasingly popular with learners over time. And wider research shows hybrid programmes tend to deliver good outcomes for students.

The true test for the policy will be whether this momentum can be sustained without creating more complexity. A question going forward will be: what scope will V Levels have to genuinely simplify the landscape?

If existing vocational qualifications are simply badged as V Levels without reducing the number of different awarding bodies, sizes, content and assessment structures, there will still be an unhelpful and complex qualifications landscape. The focus on simplifying the post-16 qualifications landscape in its entirety must remain a key focus as V Levels are developed.

Critical to V Levels success will be forging clear pathways between level 2 and level 3 qualifications. The removal of the T Level foundation year (which we found was doing more harm than good for many students) is a step in the right direction.

Resit reforms fall short with current model

The white paper also proposed changes to the resit policy. Specifically, the government plans to introduce a new level 1 foundation, GCSE stepping stone qualification that students can take before doing their GCSE resit. Skills minister Jacqui Smith argues this will “end the resits treadmill”, yet this is far from clear given the information we currently have.

The proposed changes aren’t a massive departure from the current condition of funding policy. Students who achieve lower than a grade 3 can already take level 1 stepping stone qualifications (typically functional skills qualifications) to build towards achieving their GCSE. However, this is an increasingly uncommon approach used by colleges, as our research shows. For example, the use of stepping stone qualifications fell by around 50 per cent between 2015-16 and 2021-22, as colleges substituted them for GCSEs.

As such, new stepping stone qualifications need to be designed very closely with the sector to ensure they meet provider and student needs. Many students and providers prefer GCSEs over existing stepping stone qualifications because they are graded on a scale and allow students to feel a sense of progress. New stepping stone qualifications should also be graded on a scale to allow such progress to be measured and demonstrated.

Additionally, the white paper doesn’t say enough about addressing a range of other underlying challenges in delivering resits, including funding and staffing shortages in the FE sector and the need for more targeted support for disadvantaged students.

Ultimately, introducing a new level 1 stepping stone alone will fall short of addressing challenges with the current resit model. Until the underlying problems of acute staffing shortages and the need for targeted investment (such as a 16-19 student premium for disadvantaged learners) are solved, resits will struggle to deliver for all students.

Funding Is Flowing, Demand Is Rising — It’s Time for FE to Deliver on Green Skills

For Further Education colleges, this is no longer a niche opportunity — it’s a national mission. And the clock is ticking.

The Ambition: Big Numbers, Bold Promises

In the government’s Net Zero Strategy, the goals are crystal clear:

  • 440,000 jobs in net zero sectors by 2030
  • 190,000 of those by 2025 — that’s now
  • Up to £90 billion of private investment leveraged by 2030

From retrofitting old homes to rolling out EV infrastructure, the UK needs tens of thousands of skilled workers across energy, construction, transport and tech. In theory, the FE sector is at the heart of that delivery.

The Reality: Colleges Are Catching Up – But Slowly

The latest ONS data (July 2025) shows there were 690,900 green jobs in the UK in 2023 — up 35% since 2015. Green job ads are rising fast too, especially in construction and renewables.

But here’s the problem: very few learners are currently enrolled on explicitly green programmes.

Take adult learners in the West Midlands: just 56 signed up last year to a course in carbon awareness and energy management. Nationally, green apprenticeships remain a fraction of total provision. And fewer than 1 in 10 workers receive green skills training at work.

Meanwhile, employers are crying out for people who can install heat pumps, maintain wind turbines, or build sustainable homes — and they’re struggling to find them.

The Funding Is There – But So Are the Gaps

In fairness, the government has begun backing the sector with serious money. A £302 million capital upgrade fund is now supporting colleges to expand and modernise their facilities. Several major institutions are developing green tech workshops, EV labs and net-zero training hubs.

Institutes of Technology are also expanding — with programmes in sustainable engineering, clean power, and construction tech.

But the patchiness remains. Provision is uneven across regions, and many colleges still lack the facilities or staff to deliver truly hands-on, industry-relevant green training. And with no central data tracking how many green learners there actually are, it’s hard to measure progress.

What FE Needs to Do — Now

FE colleges are the engine room of the UK’s green skills revolution. But to deliver, they’ll need to move fast — and with focus. Here’s what the sector must prioritise:

1. Specialise to local demand

Use LSIPs and employer partnerships to align provision with local green sector needs — whether that’s offshore wind in Grimsby, heat pumps in Bristol, or EV tech in the Midlands.

2. Invest in people and kit

It’s not just buildings — it’s trainers. Colleges must attract and retain industry-standard tutors in green trades and technologies, from electricians to retrofit assessors.

3. Track and showcase impact

Colleges should start collecting and publishing their own Green Skills enrolment, completion and job progression data. The sector can’t manage what it doesn’t measure.

4. Make green careers visible

Too many learners still think “green jobs” mean climate science or tree planting. Colleges must raise awareness of high-paid, hands-on roles in solar, construction, hydrogen, and tech.

5. Embed sustainability across the board

From business to beauty therapy, all courses should integrate sustainability — not just specialist pathways. Green Skills aren’t a silo; they’re the future of work.

Conclusion: No Time for Half Measures

The government says it wants a clean energy workforce, a net zero economy, and millions of new green jobs. The money’s starting to flow, the policy is in place — but the skills system isn’t yet at full speed.

FE colleges are crucial to delivering this transition. But they need to be empowered — and held to account — to meet the scale and urgency of the task.

Green jobs are coming, whether we’re ready or not. The question is: will FE lead the way — or be left behind?

We can help!

Green Skills Solutions has a suite of City and Guilds Assured Training programmes, including: Understanding Decarbonisation; Smart Home Heating Systems; Understanding Wind Technology; Introduction to Electric Vehicles and Charge Points and Understanding Heat Pump Technology. We can also work with you to create bespoke programmes.

We are proud to partner with Sabre Rigs, who can provide the physical resources and equipment to support your delivery needs. 

Contact us today to learn more or visit “Team Sabre” at the Association of Colleges Conference on 18th-19th November in Birmingham at Stand F16.

Contact Information

For more details on programme delivery, partnership opportunities, or any additional inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We look forward to hearing from you and exploring potential collaborations:

Sabre Rigs Website

orders@sabre-rigs.co.uk

Telephone: 07468 759 512

Green Skills Solutions Website

hello@green-skills-solutions.co.uk

Telephone: 07468 759 512