In this article Anne-Marie Campion unpacks the recently published White Paper on post 16 Education and Skills and current proposal for apprenticeship reform.
The recently produced Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper set out ambitious plans for reform and together with Skills England leading the way under its Better Skills for Better Jobs strategy, the aim is to align education, training, and employment more closely than ever before.
The goal is simple yet ambitious: to ensure that the UK’s workforce is equipped with the right skills for a rapidly evolving economy.
A System Designed Around Employers
At the heart of the White Paper is a renewed emphasis on employer engagement. The government wants businesses to be co-designers of the system, not just end-users of its output. From shaping curriculum content to influencing funding priorities, employers are now central to building a skills pipeline that genuinely meets industry need.
This shift recognises the widening gap between what people study and what the labour market requires. Skills England projects that by 2030 the UK will need around 900,000 more skilled workers across its priority sectors — including digital and technologies, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, construction, and health and social care. To meet that demand, education must become more agile, modular, and responsive.
Apprenticeships: Modernising and Expanding Access
The apprenticeship system remains a cornerstone of the UK’s skills strategy, but major changes are underway. The government plans to transform the current Apprenticeship Levy into a more flexible Growth and Skills Offer, directing funds to be used to align to the priority areas.
One of the most significant developments is the introduction of ‘short courses’ – termed ‘Apprenticeship Units’ — to complement existing apprenticeships and based on employer designed occupational standards. Launching in April 2026, these units will give employers the flexibility to upskill staff quickly in priority areas: phase 1 is AI, engineering, and digital technologies.
August 2025 marked the rollout of Foundation Apprenticeships, initially in Construction, Engineering, Digital, and Health & Social Care. These entry-level pathways aim to tackle the persistent challenge of youth unemployment; support those currently not in education, employment, or training (NEETs); and target funds to priority skills areas.
These reforms signal a clear direction of travel: shorter, sharper, and more flexible routes into skilled employment, backed by strong employer input and practical, job-ready outcomes.
Smarter, simplified assessment
Another area of major reform is apprenticeship assessment. Historically, the End Point Assessment (EPA) process has been criticised for being overly rigid and resource intensive. The government plans to streamline this model, allowing for on-programme assessments that are proportionate to the skills being tested.
Training providers will take on a larger role in delivery, while End Point Assessment Organisations will focus on ensuring consistency and validity. Employers, meanwhile, will help verify the “behaviours” component of competence — ensuring that assessments reflect real-world performance.
These changes are currently being trialled across five test apprenticeships: Assistant Accountant, Adult Care Worker, Data Technician, Early Years Educator, and Carpentry & Joinery, before being rolled out more widely.
Transforming Further and Higher Education
Beyond apprenticeships, the White Paper lays out a comprehensive vision for reforming further and higher education. A new suite of “V Levels” will replace the current mix of vocational qualifications at Level 3, sitting alongside A Levels and T Levels to create a clearer, more streamlined system for 16–19-year-olds.
V Levels will be based on national occupational standards designed with employers and Skills England, providing a direct line of sight between classroom learning and career outcomes. The first V Levels are expected to be introduced in 2027.
Meanwhile, Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs) will act as regional hubs of expertise, already announced for Construction these will expand to include Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Digital & Technology, and Defence. These colleges will work closely with employers to deliver cutting-edge technical education, ensuring that local skills provision matches regional economic priorities.
In higher education, the government is encouraging universities to specialise, collaborate, and focus on financial sustainability.
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), due to launch in 2026–27, will allow individuals to access funding flexibly across their lifetime — empowering people to learn, retrain, and progress without committing to full-time degrees.
Preparing for What Comes Next
The Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025 is critical for the size, scope and parameters of the Growth & Skills offer for FY25/26 onwards; it feels like we are currently in a holding pattern ahead of this.
However, the direction is clear: a more connected, employer-led, and learner-centred system that prizes flexibility and real-world outcomes.
For educators, training providers, and employers, now is the time to engage. Whether through curriculum co-design, apprenticeship partnerships, or supporting new initiatives like V Levels or TECs, collaboration will be key to turning policy into progress.
Final Thoughts
The 2025–26 White Paper signals a transformative era for post-16 education in the UK. By prioritising employer engagement, technical excellence, and lifelong learning, the government is laying the groundwork for a more agile, inclusive, and future-ready skills system.
Whether you’re an educator, employer, policymaker, or learner, this is the moment to get involved — to help shape a system that not only meets today’s needs but anticipates tomorrow’s opportunities.
As we have referenced, we all await with anticipation the Budget on 26 November. We will be running an ISE webinar on shortly after this to discuss the implications for our sector and the impact on the Growth & Skills Offer for the upcoming year. Look out for date confirmation!