One significant question being; Are employers really the right people to be influencing the qualification landscape? Yes, they can recognise where their workforce is lacking in particular skills but these are too often specific to those employers. Where one Engineering employer may state they are lacking in a specific skill within their workforce another will state another.

Working with a number of employers across a number of sectors it is clear that the most important skill they require of their workforce is adaptability, an ability to retrain and the fundamental understands of the specific sector. Industries are evolving quickly with new technologies replacing old at an ever-increasing pace. It is therefore the job of FE institutions to produce a workforce that is prepared for this new landscape.

So, the answer has been to reform qualifications to ensure they meet these employer demands- T levels currently under pause and review have had a slow start but are going momentum. HTQ’s are now available across a number of sectors and are being offered by both FE institutions and Higher Education Providers. These have been co-designed with employers to align with the new apprenticeship standards in priority sectors. One comment on the new apprenticeship standards I will make is that since the introduction of the new standards there has actually been a decline in the number of apprenticeships with employers stating that they over burdensome with the 20% of the job being stated as a factor. So, a qualification designed by employers does not suit employer needs or working practices?

Another question therefore that is worth asking is; Should employers be able to use the levy to fund upskilling and re-training of their choosing? Flexibilities in this could offer them the opportunity to engage in more bespoke training packages including the HTQs. Currently the only way to use the levy for the HTQ is through a degree apprenticeship standard. In addition-the Life Long Learning Entitlement due to start in 2026 offers a promising glimpse into a new era of FE delivery models for qualifications such as HITQs.

FE institutions have benefitted from a number of initiatives to support the development of HTQs. We have embraced these and have received funding to support our development of HTQs from the Growth Fund in 2021 and subsequent Skills Injection Funds. Whilst these are subject to clawback which is undoubtedly a worry, they have offered our college the ability to adequately upskill our workforce, ensure our equipment and facilities are industry standard, support employer engagement events and market the new HTQs.

So, one could say as an FE institution we are ready for this change. All systems are GO for HTQs. But in reality, we are not seeing the uptake or demand for these qualifications. Akin to the decline in apprenticeships across the country will we actually see a decline in study in FE at level 4 and 5?

So, if T levels, Apprenticeship Standards and HTQs are the answer to fixing the nations skills gaps how are we going to enable individuals, employers and organisations to engage in them?

The research I am currently undertaking ‘Elevating the Further Education powerhouse for Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs): An Investigatory study on Sector Collaboration, Policy and Teaching Innovation, and Government Strategy of HTQs’ will explore the readiness of the sector further. If you wish to take part then please contact me. on Jbaxter@bedford.ac.uk