Skills England Launch

Another Labour commitment in opposition that is coming good is their work to reform creative education and skills provision to help address shortages in our sector, inefficiencies and limitations in the current system and unnecessary limits on opportunity for young people.

Skills England will be established in phases over the coming year and will work in collaboration with central and local government, as well as businesses, training providers, and unions, to overhaul the UK’s post-16 skills system, in line with the Government’s forthcoming Industrial Strategy (of which the creative industries will be a component).

Of most direct benefit to live music, Skills England will operate at a local level to bring together businesses, trade unions, mayors, universities, colleges, and training providers to identify skills gaps and then develop provision to fill those gaps. This will directly support the efforts of LIVE Workforce to reduce the post-lockdown skills shortage in our sector. Additionally, Skills England will determine what training qualifies for the new Growth and Skills Levy, which replaces the former apprenticeship levy that has not served live music or the broader creative industries well. Separately and collectively, the work of Skills England will support our drive for growth and representation as we unlock new opportunities for people across the UK to progress.