Today, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
(Transfer of Functions etc) Bill was introduced in the House of
Lords.
Below is a background briefing note with information about the
Bill, and a quote from , Minister for Skills.
Baroness , Minister for Skills, said:
“This Bill marks the next step in our plans for Skills England,
to help kickstart economic recovery by breaking down barriers to
opportunity and unifying our fragmented skills system.
“Skills England will galvanise local economies by providing us
with a clear picture of skills gaps across the country, allowing
for targeted support to drive economic growth.
“IfATE has done fantastic work over the last seven years and
Skills England will build on that to ensure there is a
comprehensive suite of technical qualifications and
apprenticeships for employers and individuals to access.”
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Background:
This Bill will transfer the functions of the Institute for
Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to the Secretary
of State, which will allow them to assign these functions to
either the DfE or to Skills England. It also tweaks some of these
powers so that the skills system can be more responsive and
agile.
What does IfATE do and what is changing with Skills
England?
IfATE works with employers to ensure apprenticeships and
technical qualifications are high quality and meeting their
needs. Since its creation in 2017, IfATE has built more than 600
occupational standards, ensuring learners gain the knowledge,
skills and behaviours needed for their future career.
Skills England will continue this function, and take it further.
Skills England will provide an authoritative assessment of
national and regional skills needs in the economy now and in the
future, combining the best available statistical data with
insights generated from employers and other key stakeholders. It
brings together businesses with trade unions, mayors and training
providers to ensure we have the highly trained workforce needed
to deliver national, regional and local skills needs.
Why do you need to introduce this Bill?
In order for Skills England to become fully operational and
equipped to address challenges in the skills landscape, the
functions which currently sit with IfATE need to be transferred
to it. Building on the successful work IfATE has done, the Bill
will ensure that technical qualifications and training are as
robust as possible and meet the skills needs of employers, giving
them the skilled workforce they need to drive growth.
This is the quickest and easiest way for us to get Skills England
up and running and delivering for businesses, employers and
people across the country.
What will happen to IfATE?
Once the Bill is passed, we anticipate that those employed by
IfATE will transfer to Skills England or into other teams within
DfE. The department continues to engage with employees as part of
this transition.
Employers should continue to engage with IfATE while this Bill
goes through the legislative process. We do not envisage an
increase to the costs of delivering functions that are currently
being undertaken by different organisations, and we expect the
impact on employers and other current users of IfATE to be
minimal.
