Will a lifetime skills Guarantee provide access to high quality employment?

The Queen’s speech on 11th of May picked up on the very important developments in skills provision which is largely taken from the Government’s White Paper “Skills for Job: Lifelong Learning for Opportunity and Growth,” published in January of this year.  Legislation will be brought forward to support a lifetime skills guarantee to enable flexible access to high quality education and training throughout people’s lives.

The Queen’s Speech and The White Paper reiterates the emphasis on higher technical qualifications and recognises that we do not have enough technicians and engineers.

The Government wishes to give employers a greater say in the development of skills provision, and this is exactly what Tech Lancaster has been trialing through the Fast Track Fund. Tech Lancaster Electronics Skills Programme is a 12 week course designed and implemented by a group of local Lancaster electronics based businesses, to fast track people into our sector.

It is necessary to prioritise courses and qualifications that enable people to get great jobs, and there is a desire to place employers at the heart of defining local skills needs.  The Tech Lancaster course has allowed participants to gain internationally recognised IPC qualifications filling important skills gaps and allowing people access to highly skilled jobs.  Over 65 IPC certifications have been gained in less than 6 weeks!

Moving forward Tech Lancaster hopes to be able to contribute to developing new local skills improvement plans which will help to shape technical skills provision that will meet local labour market needs.