WIREDGOV

Blog posted by: Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Wednesday 15 November 2017.

At this critical moment, with so much uncertainty about the future economic and employment prospects of the United Kingdom, we need significant and long term investment commitments across all levels of education and skills policy. More specifically, here’s my 5 point wish list for the Chancellor:

To the Chancellor,

1. A commitment to protecting the schools budget in real terms, matching inflation
2. Investment in the Careers & Enterprise Company, to enable a truly independent careers advice and guidance service that can be used by schools, technical education providers, parents and learners.
3. Protection of the Adult Education Budget, with commitment that it can be used to fund Level 2 & 3 courses taken in the workplace.
4. Revision of the incentive payments for 16-18 apprentices, to empower employers to take on more young people.
5. A minimum negotiation floor placed on funding band for apprenticeships standards, to ensure that quality is maintained in apprenticeship delivery, and there is not a ‘race to the bottom’ in terms of delivery.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, NCFE.