Centralised power has its merits, but when it comes to skills and training, the status quo is simply not working, and a local approach is desperately needed.
ONS figures due in a couple of weeks are expected to show a slight dip in the number of unemployed 16-24 year olds, but a fundamental disconnect remains between the skills the UK is producing and the skills employers need. Take London as an example – there is no shortage of jobs, but businesses are struggling to fill one in three vacancies because of a lack of suitable candidates. The government’s £4bn spend on skills provision in England is not delivering value for money, with too much spent on hair and beauty and health and safety training when the general trend is moving towards more high-skilled sectors such as digital, engineering and science.
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