The government has created Skills England, a new body that will have partnership with employers at its heart. Skills England will be dedicated to providing more opportunities to learners from all backgrounds and delivering outstanding skills for businesses of all shapes and sizes, right across the country.
Skills England has been established in shadow form within the Department for Education, and it is already taking on its important role in identifying skills gaps and talking to the key organisations that will need to work together to fill them. Skills England will expand this work and take on its additional functions over the coming months as its staffing is built up.
The King’s Speech set out the Government’s intention to bring forward legislation to pass IfATE's functions to Skills England. The important work employers and others have been doing with IfATE over the past seven years to shape the skills system would then be taken on by Skills England.
The exact timing will be dependent on the passage of the bill; we will make sure that we keep you updated throughout this exciting and positive development for our sector.
Ministers are clear that they place very high value on the work that employers and others have already done with IfATE. They have highlighted that it is important that the fantastic work of IfATE colleagues, along with our wonderful trailblazer groups and route panels continues, and that we deliver a smooth transition for everyone within the system.
The foundation has been laid by IfATE for employers to play a crucial role as the driving force in the future system, and to have a loud and important voice in the work of Skills England.
This voice will be further amplified by the fact that Skills England will hold a wider remit than IfATE, developing a single picture of national and local skills, while also working with industry, the Migration Advisory Committee, unions, the Industrial Strategy Council, local and regional government. In doing this, Skills England will build and maintain a comprehensive assessment of current and future skills needs.
Bringing these areas together under a single entity is an exciting opportunity to have more impact on this complex area and for employers to continue to be at the heart of the skills system. We are working closely with our colleagues in the Department for Education on the set-up of Skills England and will keep you informed. As the planning becomes more detailed, we will need your views, advice and expertise to set Skills England on the path to success.
On 11 February 2025, The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, announced that Phil Smith CBE will chair Skills England, with Sir David Bell serving as Vice Chair. Tessa Griffiths and Sarah Maclean will jointly serve as CEO, while Gemma Marsh will serve as Deputy CEO.
Phil Smith is the former chair and CEO of international tech and telecoms giant Cisco. He brings extensive industry experience in digital, tech and innovation leadership and his appointment signals the seriousness of the government’s plan for growth, unlocked via a national vision for skills.
Sir David Bell has four decades of experience in the education and skills sector and is currently Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland.
Skills England will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions of England. More than 700 stakeholders have already been engaged through roundtables, webinars and engagement events.
It will work with employers, national, regional and local government, providers, and unions to identify skills shortages and provide strong strategic direction for the skills system.
One of Skills England’s first orders of business will be to identify which apprenticeships would be best served by the shorter duration approach. Skills England will prioritise key shortage occupations as per the industrial strategy, helping to boost growth under our Plan for Change.
Published 26 July 2024
Last updated 12 February 2025
(CD, NS)