It's business as usual with new DWP home for Skills England. Express delivery apprentices all set to follow strong workplace workbook delivery for the operatives and sorters in Express final mile.
Govt shift. Apprenticeships moved from DFE Inst of Apprenticeships to DWP and Skills England. There has been no change in the employer trailblazer group overseeing the express delivery apprenticeships from Express Delivery to Express Manager degree, then and now still chaired by Louise O’Neil Whistl and Trevor Hoyle former senior VP FedEx, the group remains in secretariat of IOC. The candidate starts remain strong.
After some radio silence a briefing was on line. 19th Nov briefing update from Skills England.
Joanna Moonan, deputy director Skills England, opened. Trailblazer and route panels at heart of agenda, big audience made Teams struggle, so it was cameras off and questions in the box. Much talk of route panel and a new expert pool to join route panel and Trailblazer employer groups.
Better skills for better jobs. Simplifying access to skills with employers at the heart of what we do. An explanation of the recent white paper, where does Skills England sit? To become an authoritative voice and recognise labour market. Align regional and national policy. Will maintain occupational standards. We are not expecting to take on new standards. Skills England will be about maintaining the existing standards and working towards economic growth.
A strong background of Trailblazer groups and route panels gave feedback that things took a long time. Will refresh our approach with employers placed at heart of our approach. Route Panel chairs first thoughts reflected on the first standards from ten years ago. The system was focused on quality and had many checks and balances from a wide range of people. Today we are in a mature system, the checks and balances are becoming redundant in repetition. Route panels saw alignment between route panels and Trailblazer groups, each and all being employers. Adding regional groups to one body.
The new group taking responsibility for revisions. ‘An expert pool’
When a new lens, there will also be a pool to draw from.
Meeting regulatory is expected for the future of apprenticeship steps from Skill England. Expectation to move from cycles of review and approvals to a regime of meetings when needed for standards.
