For many years, colleges, employers and training providers have been making the same argument: skills development works best when it is shaped by the needs of local employers and local economies.
Maxine Blake, Head of Employer Engagement at Nottingham College
Recent announcements surrounding skills devolution, technical education pathways from age 14 and increased local control of education funding suggest government is moving firmly in that direction. Rather than representing a complete change of course, I see these reforms as recognition that employer-informed skills development is the right approach for creating sustainable economic growth.
For employers, this presents a genuine opportunity. For perhaps the first time in a generation, businesses are being invited to play a much greater role in influencing how future talent is developed.
The conversation is moving away from a nationally standardised approach towards a system that better reflects regional economic priorities and local labour market demand. That should be welcomed.
While national priorities will always be important, employers understand better than anyone where the skills shortages exist within their own sectors and communities. In Nottinghamshire, for example, construction, engineering and healthcare continue to face significant workforce pressures. A more locally designed system creates an opportunity to respond directly to those needs while building stronger talent pipelines for the future.
What is particularly encouraging is the growing recognition that talent development should begin earlier. The proposal for locally shaped technical education routes from age 14 has the potential to transform how young people view career opportunities. For many learners, the challenge has never been a lack of ambition. It has been a lack of visibility. If young people can explore vocational opportunities earlier, experience workplaces and understand how education links to real careers, they are far more likely to make informed decisions about their futures.
This could create stronger progression routes into T Levels, apprenticeships and ultimately employment.
Employers often talk about skills shortages as though they appear overnight. In reality, talent pipelines take years to build. The businesses that will be most successful over the next decade will be those that start engaging with potential future employees long before vacancies arise. These reforms support exactly that type of long-term workforce planning.
For employers, this means a chance to influence more than just recruitment. It means helping shape curriculum content, informing future workforce priorities, supporting industry placements and contributing to discussions around regional skills planning. In short, it means becoming active participants in the development of the future workforce rather than simply consumers of it.
The real success of these reforms, however, will depend on participation.
Historically, many of these conversations have been led by larger organisations with dedicated skills and workforce teams. While those voices remain important, we must ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are equally represented. SMEs make up the backbone of our local economy and their workforce requirements are critical to understanding the true skills needs of a region.
That is why meaningful employer engagement matters. Meaningful influence does not come from occasional consultation exercises. It comes from genuine collaboration between businesses, colleges and local authorities. It comes from employers sharing challenges, providers responding with innovative solutions and learners benefiting from clearer routes into successful careers.
At Nottingham College, we already see the positive impact of this approach through our Industry Advisory Boards, workforce development partnerships, T Level placements and employer engagement programmes. These partnerships help ensure that curriculum reflects industry demand while giving employers a direct voice in shaping future talent.
Looking ahead, I believe the most significant outcome of these reforms will not be changes to funding structures. It will be a shift in mindset. The relationship between employers, colleges and local government is moving beyond a transactional model focused on training delivery and recruitment. Instead, we are beginning to see the emergence of genuine strategic partnerships focused on long-term workforce planning and economic growth.
That is an exciting prospect.
Because when education providers, employers and policymakers work towards a shared goal, we create something much more powerful than a qualification. We create opportunity, productivity and prosperity for our communities.
And that is exactly what the future skills system should be designed to achieve.
If you’re an employer ready to rethink how talent is identified and developed, let’s start the conversation. Get in touch to explore how we can build more accessible pathways together.