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Many employers report that they often struggle to fill vacancies with skilled candidates.
To help address the issue, the government recently announced the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, which will create an education and training system for over 16s and adults.
Lifetime Skills Guarantee
On 9 December 2020, the government announced its Lifetime Skills Guarantee (LSG), which aims to transform the UK skills system to ensure more people can obtain the skills they require to progress in their career. The LSG also aims to ensure employers have access to the skilled workforce they need.
The LSG is funded by the £2.5 billion National Skills Fund (which applies in England), and will help adults to gain new qualifications and access to job opportunities. The LSG includes a new student finance system, giving every adult access to a flexible Lifelong Loan Entitlement for higher-level education and training at either university or college. Employers will be able to take a statutory role in planning publicly funded training programmes in collaboration with education providers.
Adults can also take advantage of Skills Bootcamps which offer flexible courses lasting up to 16 weeks, covering areas such as construction, digital and technical. The bootcamps provide opportunity to learn specific skills and fast-track participants to an interview with a local employer.
Kickstarting Job Opportunities
In 2020, the government’s £2 billion Kickstart Scheme opened for employer applications. The scheme aims to create placements for young people who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. Those businesses wishing to join the kickstart scheme stand to benefit from funding which covers 100% of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for 25 hours a week for six months, plus the associated employer national insurance contributions (NIC’s) and automatic enrolment pension contributions. Claimants are also entitled to claim £1,500 per job for set up costs and supporting the young person to develop their employability skills.
Unemployed young people on Universal Credit will be offered six-month work placements for at least 25 hours a week. The government hopes these placements will help them to gain work experience, confidence and workplace skills.
As the UK economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses seeking to expand their workforce are encouraged to make use of government support where it is availavble.