At this year’s Conservative Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has partnered with NCFE to hold a public panel discussion: ‘Sleepwalking into a skills crisis: A call to arms for major system change’.
Skills development and provision continues to be a major policy focus in education policy to increase economic prosperity, tackle employer-reported skills shortages and support all young people to build fulfilling and productive careers. Whilst many in the sector welcome this progress, it is worth considering what more could and should be done to equip all young people and adults with the skills they need to thrive in the face of future uncertainties and climb the ladder of opportunity. Major change is possible, and it is right to be ambitious, but we need to look beyond anything we’ve seen so far.
A report by NCFE, Corndel and the Edge Foundation proposes bold changes designed to help the system cope with constant change. This panel will bring together politicians, employers, and other skills stakeholders to discuss the future of skills policy. Speakers will consider the importance of human skills in the context of technology and how the rise of AI is changing the world of work. They will explore the possibilities flexible provision offers to meet the needs of employers, and how modernising approaches to assessment and developing skills provision can deliver a truly responsive system.
We are delighted to welcome Richard Crossick, Ørsted; David Gallagher, NCFE, James Kelly, Corndel and Anne Milton, Former Minister of State for Skills and Apprenticeships to the panel. Natalie Perera, EPI’s Chief Executive will chair the session.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Conservative Party.**
