That was the focus of NOCN Group’s panel with the New Statesman at the Labour Party Conference this week.

Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith joined Damien Egan MP, Anna Thomas of the Institute for the Future of Work and NOCN Group Chief Executive Graham Hasting-Evans to discuss how education, employers and government can respond.

Building homes, expanding clean energy, strengthening engineering and adapting to AI will all require new skills. The challenge is to understand where those skills are needed, then make training available in ways that work for people and employers in different places.

For young people, that means being able to see a route into skilled work early enough to pursue it. Practical and technical learning can help them discover their strengths and explore jobs they may not otherwise encounter. Work experience and careers support matter too, particularly when access to employers depends on where someone lives or who they know.

As part of that discussion, NOCN proposed flexible Level 1 programmes for 14 to 16-year-olds, particularly those at risk of disengaging from education. These could provide an accessible starting point for practical learning and progression, helping to reduce the number of young people who go on to become not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Employers have a vital role in opening those doors. Many want to offer opportunities, but arranging a placement or supporting someone new takes time, especially in a smaller business. Better local connections and practical help could make it easier for them to take part.

 

The panel also looked beyond the UK. Countries including Malaysia are rethinking vocational qualifications in response to changing industries, while international interest in UK technical education continues to grow.

There was a useful challenge in that comparison: awarding a certificate is one measure of success, but what happens afterwards matters just as much. Does the learning help someone get into work or move forward in their career?

That question applies throughout working life. Many of the people needed to fill future roles are already employed. Someone moving between industries may have years of useful experience and need a specific new skill, rather than a full programme of study. Short courses and focused units could help people adapt while continuing to work.

AI makes it especially important to look at how jobs are changing in practice. Learning to use new technology matters, but so do the judgement, experience and practical skills people bring to their work. Training needs to reflect the whole job and help people see where their skills could take them next.

As people move between roles, they also need ways to show what they can do. Digital skills records can make qualifications and competence easier to carry and share, provided employers can trust the assessment behind them.

People also need opportunities to keep those skills current as work changes.

The discussion covered people at very different points in their working lives, but the practical question was the same: can they find the learning and support they need to take their next step? Getting that right will help young people enter skilled work, experienced workers adapt and employers find the people they need.