Leeds City College says new government plan ‘instrumental’ to the future of adult education

Leeds City College (@leedscitycoll), which is part of  Luminate Education Group (@LuminateEdGroup), has welcomed the government’s announcement that will see changes to the adult education system in England and help boost the post-Covid economy.

The latest package will offer a lifetime skills guarantee and a fully-funded college course to all people over 18 in England without an A level or equivalent level 3  qualification. Currently, only people aged under 24 qualify for a fully-funded qualification at this level.

Ann-Marie Spry, Vice Principal Curriculum & Adults at Luminate Education Group, said:

“The latest government proposal comes at an opportune time for adult education, as there has not been enough of an emphasis on it compared to pre-18 compulsory education.

“If we really want a more skilled and efficient workforce, it is important that we transform the foundations of the skills system so that everyone has the chance to upskill or retrain.

“The government placing a real focus on this provision is a positive step forward to making adult education more accessible and attractive for post-18 learners looking to gain a new skill, retrain or upskill.”

Ann-Marie said that the £8 million funding being proposed towards digital skills boot camps, which has seen successful pilots in Greater Manchester and West Midlands, will be instrumental from a national perspective in bridging the digital skills gap between pre-16 learners and adult learners in our increasingly virtual world.

The new scheme will be paid for under an already-announced £2.5bn boost to England’s National Skills Fund coming into effect next April. It will also see higher education loans become more flexible, allowing people to space out their study across their lifetimes.