Labour’s skills policy

Employers will be able to spend apprenticeship levy money on types of training other than apprenticeships, such as modular courses, if Labour comes to power.

In his speech at the Labour conference in September, party leader Keir Starmer said he would “give employers new flexibility to invest in world class training”. While he did not give details, FE Week quoted a Labour spokesperson, who said the party plans to turn the system into a “growth and skills levy”. This will allow businesses to “spend up to 50% of their levy contributions, including currently unspent money, on non-apprenticeship training, with at least 50% being reserved for apprenticeships to preserve existing provision”.

It says full details of the policy will be published in a forthcoming report from Labour’s Council for Skills Advisers, which is led by Lord Blunkett