Skills England could benefit temporary workers

News that the government is introducing a new body to meet the skills needs of the next decade has been very much welcomed.

Skills England will connect central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions to help with the skills crisis across all regions.

Responding to the announcement, REC Director of Campaigns and Research Shazia Ejaz said, “Skills England has an important job to improve upon the Apprenticeship Levy which failed to meet employer demands and where so much money paid in to the pot wasn’t used effectively. That is why businesses and especially recruiters who understand employer needs should now be central to advising the body on priority setting and the best approach to combatting labour shortages.

“The move to a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy where apprenticeships will not be the only option available for employers to spend their levy funds on will be a huge help for temporary workers.

“Not everyone works full-time or with the same employer for long periods, so training has to be accessible to people working flexibly.

“There are one million temporary workers on assignment on any given day, most of whom have been missing out on opportunities to train. Skills England must focus on redressing that. One way to do that is to allow the new Levy to fund modular courses in worker-short sectors.

“By working with the Migration Advisory Committee, Skills England can help reduce reliance on overseas workers. But public policy must find a balance between helping domestic talent to shine while accepting that takes time. So along with today’s announcement we want to hear more from the government on how they will create a fair and flexible immigration system to meet the needs of business.

“And we should remember that survey after survey shows people support immigration by those who are here to work, pay tax, and build a life. To maximise economic growth, we need a skills and immigration policy that work in sync to meet the needs of employers in the private and public sectors.”

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