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We'reÌýalso looking at a period of considerable change withinÌýour ownÌýFEÌýsector, with theÌýFE White paperÌýandÌýLevel 3 consultation,Ìýa package of initiatives supporting people back into work and into trainingÌý-ÌýtheKickstart schemeÌýfor exampleÌý-ÌýandÌýtheÌýLifetime Skills GuaranteeÌýfor adults.ÌýÌýAs these changes progress, weÌýrightly need to flex and adapt.ÌýHowever,Ìýit’sÌýalso importantÌýtoÌýtakeÌýa moment to reflect onÌýwhat’sÌýworking well alreadyÌýand theÌýsuccessesÌýwe haveÌýwithinÌýourÌýexistingÌývocational education provision.ÌýÌý

The continued importance ofÌýsupportingÌýkey workers

By shining a light on the importance of our key workers, the events of 2020 haveÌýserved to remindÌýus just how important the FE sector is to our society.ÌýIt has been a national moment forÌýrecognisingÌýand celebrating our health and social care professionals,Ìýfor example,ÌýwhoÌýremain central in supporting our communities through the pandemic.ÌýMany of the heroic individuals we were clapping for each weekÌýthis SpringÌýwill have taken a vocational qualificationÌýandÌýstudiedÌýat a Further Education College.Ìý

TheÌýhealthÌýand social careÌýsectorÌýcurrentlyÌýreportsÌýhigh volumes of hard-to-fill vacancies, as well as skills gaps among the existing workforce, with over 220,000 jobs currently available in the UK.ÌýStudents takingÌýhealth and social careÌýqualifications are highly in demand, and our job to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to access careers in the sectorÌý(and otherÌýkeyworker industriesÌýsuch as engineeringÌýandÌýconstruction)Ìýis more important than ever.ÌýÌý

Responding to demand from new and transformingÌýindustriesÌýÌý

In recent times, we have seenÌýa number ofÌýindustries decline while newer sectors have sprung up or grown.ÌýFE and career focused education has always respondedÌýwith a talent and skills strategy to supportÌýtheÌýevolving needsÌýof employers, andÌýwe'll need to be as nimble as everÌýto serve these emerging industries.ÌýOur BTECs, as an example, are overÌý30 years old, having flexed and adapted to changing times over three decades.ÌýThis year we launched a newÌýBTEC in Esports,Ìýa major step forward inÌýsupporting careersÌýin the growing esports industry, projected to generate revenues of over £1 billion this year.ÌýOther shifts are being seen in retail, education, renewables,ÌýAgri-Tech, infrastructure to name but a few.Ìý

The importance of choice for learners

Vocational and technical skillsÌýwill be crucial inÌýsupporting our economyÌýin theÌýpost COVID-19 periodÌý- supporting both young people and adultsÌýwith the learning and skillsÌýthey needÌýto enterÌýnew and evolving industries and careers.ÌýÌý

There needs to be the choice of qualifications and courses available which supply the skills that are required by employers –Ìýand in the UKÌýwe already have this withÌýa number ofÌýeffective pathways such as A levels,ÌýTechnical and VocationalÌý(including ÃÛÌÒapp’s BTECs)ÌýandÌýwork-basedÌýprovision,ÌýincludingÌýApprenticeships. The introduction of TÌýLevelsÌýwill add another level of occupational choice forÌý16-18-yearÌýolds.ÌýÌý

This blog first appeared on FE News