Collaboration and partnership as the defining theme
Opening the conference, FI’s Gareth John reflected on a political backdrop shaped by mayoral elections, local government reform, and the government’s new Post-16 Skills White Paper. Amid this change, he noted a vital shift:
“None of us can deliver the skills system this economy needs on our own. But together, we absolutely can.”
With colleges, universities, independent training providers, employers, professional bodies and policy leaders in the room, the tone was set for an evening focused on partnership-led solutions.
Panel 1:
The Post-16 Skills White Paper: A ‘mixed bag’ with big potential
Education consultant and writer, Tom Bewick, opened the first panel by noting that this new White Paper is the 41st major skills policy statement since 1997, highlighting how much change the system has had throughout the decades.
Panellists broadly agreed on two things:
The positives
- A welcome emphasis on sectoral priorities and place-based skills planning.
- Strong recognition that one national policy cannot meet the needs of a diverse economy.
- Clearer expectations on the roles of government, employers and individuals in the system.
- More prominence for technical education, FE, employer collaboration and flexible learning.
As Dr Fiona Aldridge put it:
“A national framework is important, but solutions have to be shaped around sectors, places and people.”
The gaps
- Not enough clarity on adult upskilling, despite most of the 2035 workforce already being in work.
- Insufficient detail on the Growth & Skills Levy, particularly around flexibility.
- Concerns that reforms risk focusing too heavily on young people while overlooking adults who need reskilling.
- Worries that Level 7 funding changes could damage the culture of professional learning in organisations.
Former Shadow Minister for Education Iain Wright captured the challenge:
“The policy is ambitious, but delivery is everything. Alignment between industrial strategy, funding, employers and local economies has to improve.”
Data, local skills and where growth will come from
A recurring discussion centred on whether the White Paper properly connects industrial strategy, skills planning, and workforce development.
Several panellists highlighted that the UK’s productivity growth has stalled for over a decade and that addressing skills shortages in key growth sectors is essential. As Wright explained:
“The top 30% of UK sectors have produced 60% of productivity gains since 1997. Growth will come from where Britain already excels – professional services, financial services, tech, creative industries, green sectors.”
Fiona Aldridge and Rebecca Rhodes both emphasised the importance of modular learning, especially for adults:
- Short courses
- Bite-sized learning
- Skills that align directly with job roles
- Flexible provision that works alongside employment
Building a sustainable workforce
Lawrence Grafton (Department for Business & Trade) discussed the tension between domestic skills supply and migration policy. With nearly 1 million young people NEET and many older workers inactive, he stressed the need for:
- Better employer investment in skills
- A clearer narrative around migration
- Attraction of international talent in research and innovation
- Strengthening the UK’s reputation as a world-class knowledge economy
He also noted a political need to balance reduced migration with realistic plans for domestic skills development.
Talk 1:
Economic insight: the Bank of England on inflation, interest rates and growth
Rob Elder from the Bank of England delivered a packed session outlining the UK’s economic outlook.
Key messages:
- Inflation spiked due to global energy costs but is now trending back towards the 2% target.
- Interest rates have been cut five times and may fall further, depending on economic data.
- Growth will likely hover around 1–1.2% next year.
- Unemployment is expected to rise, partly by design, to bring wage inflation back to sustainable levels.
His summary:
“Inflation is too high today, but we expect it back on target by end of next year. Growth is weak, unemployment will rise slightly, but the labour market remains historically strong.”
Talk 2:
Business Pressures and the Behaviour Behind the Numbers
Paul Surtees, CEO and Co-founder of Capitalise, brought a perspective on business behaviour during economic uncertainty.
He noted that downturns tend to create big winners and big losers:
- The top-performing businesses grow rapidly by investing in capability, restructuring intelligently and staying close to customers.
- The poorest performers become risk-averse, cut investment, lose talent and stagnate.
AI featured strongly:
- Tools like ChatGPT are transforming professional work.
- Businesses that embrace AI strategically will outperform those that ignore it.
- Human skills, communication, judgment, creativity, become more valuable, not less.
Talk 3:
Insights from Hays Recruitment UK
- 61% of employees plan to move jobs in the next year.
- Employers are still struggling to fill specialist roles.
- Pay remains important, but purpose, progression, and work atmosphere matter as much to younger workers.
- Skills mismatches remain a major challenge despite rising vacancies.
Panel 2:
Talent, recruitment and the gen Z workforce
The final panel, chaired by Lindsay Conroy, Former UK Head of Apprenticeships at UCAS and now CEO of The Association of Apprentices and Founder & Director, The Bright Path Advisory Ltd, focused on the future workforce.
Insights from Gen Z influencers and employers
Holly Hobbs stated what matters most to young people:
“Purpose, pay, progression – that’s what Gen Z is looking for.”
Panellists stressed:
- Genuine storytelling and transparency attract young people.
- Early engagement in schools is essential.
- Work experience and direct exposure to workplaces dramatically improves access.
- AI is already reshaping CV writing and applications — employers must adapt recruitment processes to stay fair.
As Jane Sibley (BHP) noted:
“Some of the best candidates I’ve hired would never have made it through an AI filter. The human judgment still matters.”
Conclusion: Skills, policy and growth must now work together
Across panels and discussions, one frustration kept coming up: the UK has talked about skills reform for decades, but successful implementation remains inconsistent.
The event highlighted three major priorities for the coming year:
- Skills policy must stay aligned with industrial strategy – money, policy and delivery must pull in the same direction.
- Adult retraining and modular learning must be prioritised – most of the 2035 workforce is already working.
- Partnerships matter more than ever – between:
- Government
- Providers
- Employers
- Local areas
- Industry bodies
- Young people
And this echoes Gareth John’s opening message:
“No single part of the system can deliver the skills Britain needs. But together, we absolutely can.”
Top 5 actionable points:
- Strengthen early talent engagement – start earlier and build long-term pipelines
- Reclaim the narrative when hiring Gen Z – be clear on purpose, pay and progression
- Use AI carefully in hiring – keep the human at the centre
- Create clear, modular upskilling routes for existing staff
- Build inclusive recruitment and support systems to make the most out of the available workforce
