Institute of Student Employers responds to Skills for Jobs White Paper

Institute of Student Employers (@IoSEorg) responds to the Department for Education’s (DfE) Skills for Jobs White Paper launching today (21 January 2021) to improve vocational education.

Stephen Isherwood, Chief Executive, ISE said:

 “We welcome these plans to put employers at the heart of the system, but we have to ensure that it is fully funded and supported.

“Employers are engaged with apprenticeships, but the current system is not working for them and needs reform.  So far government rhetoric on vocational education and apprenticeship has been accompanied by bureaucracy and too many policy changes. This has resulted in a decline in apprenticeship numbers, rather than an increase. 

“While the paper expresses a desire to reform the system, the government needs to be clear on its plans for Post-16 and Post-18 education funding.

“It is essential that changes to the system are gradual and done with careful employer consultation.”

ISE set out recommendations for improving vocational education in its Plan for the reconstruction of the student labour market and apprenticeship paper: Stability, transparency, flexibility and employer ownership.