Coronavirus: Urgent clarity on apprenticeships and skills system needed

City & Guilds are calling on the government to give direction and support to these learners and institutions, where many of our key workers are drawn from:

The school closures announced this week have created even more uncertainty, in what is already a hugely difficult time. We are all saddened by the news reports that young people will be unable to take crucial exams this summer that will help determine their futures, while university students will equally experience disruption to their lives. We know the Government will, rightly, do all it can to shore up our Education system that we take so much pride in. 

But we have heard very little about our crucial skills system. The very system that every year reliably trains over a million people, including hundreds of thousands of apprentices, as well as technical and skilled workers, all of whom the economy, employers and our country rely upon. No more so than at times like these.

From plumbers, to electricians, delivery drivers to customer service helplines, all these crucial skills – and so much more – exist because of an established quality network of skills provision, and a FE system that works hard to provide invaluable education and training.

It’s critical that we get clear Government direction and urgent assurance for continued funding and support for these other learners and institutions – whether to help apprentices complete their programmes and to protect learners on full-time FE courses and adults on funded training courses.

FE and skills are a vital part of our total education and training sector, and we’re asking that the Government shows it the same respect we show to schools and HE.

Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds Group