The right decisions for FE will be better made locally than in Westminster

Labour will ensure the right decisions are taken by the right people in the right places, says Seema Malhotra

Labour will ensure the right decisions are taken by the right people in the right places, says Seema Malhotra

13 Oct 2023, 5:00

Labour’s conference this week showed that we are not just offering an alternative to the Conservatives, we’re already planning for the better future our country deserves. Over the last eight months Labour Leader Keir Starmer has set out the five missions Labour will take from opposition into government, and at conference he made plain our determination that a complete revolution in how we deliver skills in this country will be at the heart of our whole approach.

Last year we set out that the next Labour government will bring leadership and ambition to our skills system by creating a new national body – Skills England – to drive the change we need. He explained how we will devolve and combine power and budgets for skills and adult education to combined authorities, ensuring the right decisions and the right priorities are taken by the right people in the right places. And he pledged the reform of the failed apprenticeships levy into a wider growth and skills levy that genuinely drives learning in every workplace, large and small.

While the Conservatives have been content to drift and fail, Labour hasn’t sat still. As Labour’s new shadow skills minister I’ve been keen to hit the ground running. This week we have set out the next steps towards building a skills system that works for everyone, delivering opportunities for individuals to upskill, companies to grow, communities to thrive and for Britain to succeed.

The network of Technical Excellence Colleges that we’ll develop will be key to that. Under Labour’s plans, education providers will work hand-in-hand with local businesses and employers to align skills and training provision with local need and real job opportunities. And they will drive deepening cooperation and collaboration between higher and further education across our country, building on the work many successful institutions already deliver and bringing those opportunities to every corner of our country.

We want to see local and national government working as one, not at odds

We want to see local government and national government working as one, not at odds, to ensure local skills plans meet national strategic priorities to grow the economy and reskill people in the jobs of the future. We are determined that we will unlock opportunity for people right across our country.

The Britain Labour wants to build won’t just be rich in skilled jobs one distant day; it will require hundreds of thousands of them to get there. More skilled NHS staff. Higher standards of workers in adult social care and childcare. Construction skills to meet the demand for 1.5 million new homes and a new generation of new towns. And the engineering expertise to deliver the energy security and the net-zero future our world so urgently needs.

Labour is determined that in government we’ll not just bring a change of policy and a change of focus, but a whole new approach – governing for the long term, putting our country first, and seeing the difficulties we face as challenges to be tackled, not one to be exploited for political point-scoring. Our country has a proud history, and our young people deserve a bright future: a future that only Labour can deliver.

Latest education roles from

Principal & Chief Executive – Bath College

Principal & Chief Executive – Bath College

Dodd Partners

IT Technician

IT Technician

Harris Academy Morden

Teacher of Geography

Teacher of Geography

Harris Academy Orpington

Lecturer/Assessor in Electrical

Lecturer/Assessor in Electrical

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Director of Management Information Systems (MIS)

Director of Management Information Systems (MIS)

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Exams Assistant

Exams Assistant

Richmond and Hillcroft Adult & Community College

Sponsored posts

Sponsored post

Safe to speak, ready to act: SaferSpace targets harassment and misconduct in education 

In an era where safeguarding and compliance are firmly in the spotlight, education providers face a growing responsibility: to...

Advertorial
Sponsored post

Screening for the cognitive needs of apprentices is essential – does it matter if the process is engaging?

Engagement should be the first priority in cognitive assessment. An engaging assessment is an inclusive assessment — when cognitive...

Advertorial
Sponsored post

Skills Bootcamps Are Changing – What FE Colleges Must Know 

Skills Bootcamps are evolving as funding moves to local control and digital skills trends shift. Code Institute, an Ofsted...

Code Institute
Sponsored post

Building Strong Leadership for Effective T Level Implementation

Are you struggling with T Level curriculum and implementation, or building strong employer relationships? Do you want to develop...

Advertorial

More from this theme

Apprenticeships, Politics, Skills reform

Level 7 apprenticeship funding to be axed from January 2026

DfE also announces 'priority' bootcamp funding for next year and confirms apprenticeship budget increase to over £3bn

Shane Chowen
Devolution, Politics

Devolving 16-19 funding would be a nightmayor, minister warned

Doing so would lead to more 'bureaucracy' and 'inequalities', expert says

Billy Camden
Devolution, Politics

‘Potential’ for more skills devolution amid mayoral ‘tension’, says minister

Comes weeks after mayor Andy Burnham labelled the DfE as his 'biggest frustration'

Billy Camden
Politics

Immigration white paper: What it means for FE and skills

Proposals include rising an employers' Skills Charge, stricter language rules, an HE levy and mandatory workforce strategies

FE Week Reporter

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *