One of the main problems that the government has seen in the past couple of years is that there is a huge skills deficit across the UK which is affecting the job market and employability on a mass scale. Many workers simply don’t have the funds or the support to be able to upskill and develop their careers, which is creating stagnation in the jobs market. Levelling up adult education is one of the best things you can do to close the skills gap and help propel the UK into a good economic future – and here are 4 ways we can help do this.
Focus On Tomorrow’s Careers
One of the main factors that have been affecting the skills gap is the amount of traditional careers that are slowly seeing a decline, and has removed once prominent jobs from the job market. This means that a lot of older people who have been trained in one thing risk losing work. However, investing in skills for tomorrow’s careers such as completely digital or green jobs is a great way to enhance the UK’s skill set. Green skills training and digital training is one of the best ways to promote skills in these careers.
Plan Ahead
When levelling up adult education, it’s important to plan ahead and change plans according to what will happen in the future. For example, Grandfather Rights are ending in the UK – which means that workers in many industries will no longer be able to get accreditation through observation or experience alone, and will now need qualifications. This means that construction workers who need their CSCS card will now need a construction qualification instead of being observed. Ensuring that these workers have access to gain these qualifications is essential to levelling up adult education in the UK.
Prioritise Reasonable Adjustments
One of the biggest barriers to workers in the UK accessing adult education is the lack of reasonable adjustments that learners need. For example, many people need extra time in exams, or the ability to access audio recordings of questions so they can pass the qualification. Ensuring that workers wanting to upskill in the UK have access to all of the reasonable adjustments they need is one of the best things to do if you want to close the skills gap and help the UK become educated.
Take Advantage Of Government Funding
It’s imperative that everyone is aware of the government’s efforts to level up adult education in the UK, so that they can take advantage of all of the funding pots. The government has recently given £36 million to be able to help adults in the UK improve their skills and gain access to better adult education – and you or your staff could be eligible to receive it. For example, construction workers in the UK are able to get free retrofit qualifications so that they can access sustainable construction work and further their careers. Knowing what funding is available and making sure workers have access to it is essential when it comes to levelling up adult education in the UK.