Responding to the post-16 education and skills white paper

Date:

21 10 2025

Authors:

Stephen Evans

Tagged by:

Lifelong Learning

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Responding to the Government's post-16 education and skills white paper published on Monday 20 October, Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute (L&W), said:
The Government is right to say skills are central to so many of its plans, and the White Paper is clear that its focus will be on young people, a greater role for local leaders, and tackling the ‘missing middle’ of lower attainment of level 4 and 5 qualifications than other countries. But to achieve this we need a greater focus on increasing employer investment in training, down 36% since 2005. And we must increase support for the one in three adults qualified below level 2 and nine million adults with low literacy or numeracy; on current trends it will take over 20 years for them to get the support they need. This, along with recognition of the wider value of learning to health, wellbeing and community engagement, will be vital foundation stones for all the Government’s other ambitions.
These numbers also mask substantial inequalities within construction. Women account for only 10 per cent of starts in construction apprenticeships so far this year, compared to 51 per cent of apprenticeships overall. In addition, this year only 9 per cent of construction starts are by individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds, with particularly big disparities for apprentices from black or Asian backgrounds. The following years therefore present a unique opportunity to not only further boost apprenticeship numbers in the construction sector, but to expand their reach to wider groups. The new Government should work with employers and providers to seize this.

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