Inquiry into further education and skills

AAT welcomes this new inquiry on further education and skills by the Education Select Committee, and for the opportunity to submit evidence to the committee on this important subject. AAT is strongly of the view that more should be done to create greater equalisation in how different post-16 pathways are promoted to school leavers. Both in education settings and through the provision of education and careers advice, equal weighting should be given to both traditional routes such as university, and the alternative pathways available to young people. 

AAT welcomes the creation of Skills England. However for it to be successful it must better consolidate and deliver greater consistency across the skills landscape, and not replicate the same problems caused by a disjointed regulatory and policy landscape as has been the case in recent years. It is essential that Skills England engages and collaborates with all stakeholders within the skills ecosystem as it seeks to deliver reforms in this area. This should include not only employers and training providers, but also SMEs and professional bodies who are often overlooked. The voice of awarding organisations, who are at the coal face of delivering upon changing policy and regulatory requirements, should also be heard clearly by the government and Skills England over these crucial coming months.