The state of adult skills training

I’m Ankita. I’m a manager at Social Finance and work within our skills and employment team. Today, I’m delighted to launch our report on global skills trends and best practice, commissioned by the City of London to undertake a global review of the future of skills and education provision.

Lifelong education and adult skills training plays a crucial role in creating a more equal society. However, the sector needs to urgently adapt and respond to changing needs. 

We identified three key trends in our report. My colleagues, Holly and Ivjyot, who authored the report, will talk you through them.

The first trend we explored are the significant shifts in worker and learner demographics. Working lives are getting longer. People are following non-linear career paths. Entrepreneurialism is on the rise and globalisation is creating a more dynamic workforce.

The second trend that we explored is the way that skills needed for employment are changing. From the rise of digitisation in the workforce and growing demand for fusion skills,to the need for green skills to tackle the climate crisis, training and education for children and adults must be tailored towards future needs.

The final trend we explored is in the way that learning methods are being transformed by the private sector and technology. An increasing number of people are accessing training online, and there’s a shift towards non-accredited, employer-led forms of training. We believe there is an important role for the government to harness the energy of the private sector and coordinate between employers, learners and funders to ensure that education and training meets skills gaps and that disadvantaged learners are not left behind.