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Skills for Londoners Strategy: NATECLA's contribution

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05 January 2018
London
Skills for Londoners Strategy: NATECLA's contribution

NATECLA London have responded to the Mayor of London's draft skills strategy consultation which outlines plans to create a post-16 technical and vocational education and skills system that meets the needs of Londoners and businesses.

Here's a sneak preview of some of our responses:


Q1. Is the draft vision appropriate for the challenges and opportunities London faces and how can it be improved?

‘A City for all Londoners – making sure Londoners and business get the skills they need to succeed in a fair, inclusive and thriving economy.’

NATECLA response: We see that there is an emphasis on Community ESOL, which is an extremely important first step to engaging people who are not yet engaged in education and skills. However, we felt the focus on more formal basic skills ESOL, (on par with English, Maths and basic digital skills) was missing. The transition between community ESOL to more formal basic skills ESOL can often be limited and there is a risk that entry level basic skills is overlooked when planning for L4 and L5 higher technical skills training.


Q2. Do the three over-arching priorities address the challenges London will face delivering the vision? If not, please explain what changes might be needed.

  1. Empower all Londoners to access the skills to participate in society and progress in education and in work
  2. Meet the needs of London’s economy and employers, now and in the future
  3. Deliver a strategic city-wide technical skills and adult education offer.

NATECLA response: Yes we believe so, as long as the gap between community learning and higher technical skills is considered. For many people who need ESOL training, there is little fully funded provision. Furthermore, after gaining basic skills funded training stops at L2 and in order to access higher skills, thought should be given to a strategy that assesses sectors where there is need, and how to support L3+ skills in that sector if the current loans system is a barrier to learning, rather than an enabler. Perhaps there should be a means tested L3+ system.

>> Download the full NATECLA response to the Mayor of London's draft skills strategy

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