The UK government has launched Skills England to identify and address skills shortages across the country over the next decade.
The organisation will bring together central and local governments with businesses, training providers, and unions to meet the skill needs of all regions; providing strategic oversight of the post-16 skills system.
It will be established in phases over the next nine to 12 months, with the first phase involving an assessment of future skill requirements while building strong relationships with employers.
Skills England will also identify training eligible from a Growth and Skills Levy, which will give businesses flexibility to spend up to 50% of their payments on non-apprenticeship training.
The government said that skills shortages in England doubled to more than half a million between 2017 and 2022 and now account for 36% of job vacancies, while a recent survey of environmental professionals found that almost three-fifths believe there is a green skills gap.
"Our skills system is in a mess, which is why we are transforming our approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades," prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said.
"Our success as a country depends on delivering highly skilled workforces for the long term. Skills England will put in place the framework needed to achieve that goal while reducing our reliance on workers from overseas."
A Skills England Bill will transfer functions from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) as part of the new organisation’s broader remit.
The government also said that it would bring forward a comprehensive strategy for post-16 education to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce, and drive economic growth.
IEMA deputy CEO Martin Baxter said that the new Growth and Skills Levy could give businesses flexibility to provide more bespoke training opportunities that upskill and reskill existing workers quickly in pinch-point occupations.
“The green transition is about more than achieving net zero and we would encourage a demand-led approach to skills, enabling finite resources to be targeted to support economic growth and widening opportunity,” he continued.
“We require a workforce with a wide range of green skills to ensure our electricity system is decarbonised at pace; to stop pollution being dumped in our rivers and seas; to drive a more circular economy; to provide businesses with the skills to adapt to a changing climate that will impact infrastructure and supply chains, and to allow developers to build new homes and infrastructure while leaving our natural environment in a better state than they found it.
He added: “With a looming green skills gap, businesses need to tap into a more diverse array of talent by promoting diversity, inclusion, and ensuring equal access for all demographics, so no one gets left behind.”
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