Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater hosts Lord David Blunkett at major skills conference for the north

The Northern Skills Conference, which was held in Heckmondwike last Friday, February 10, heard calls for decision making over the provision of training and education to be devolved as closely as possible to local people.

Representatives of local businesses, trade unions, schools and colleges agreed that a major overhaul of the provision of training and life-long learning was urgently needed. The most important changes were identified as involving young people themselves in shaping the provision of services, and ensuring that decisions were taken as locally as possible to reflect an area’s economic needs.

Opening the discussions, Ms Leadbeater said: “It’s fantastic to be hosting this important conference in Heckmondwike. I’m delighted that we have people here from the business world, trade unions, education and training, as well as apprentices and young people about to enter the world of work.

“It’s really important to be having a joined up conversation about skills, growth and social cohesion.”

Lord Blunkett added: “The whole world of work is changing and the skills and lifelong learning agenda is critical. You have to start very early or you find yourself spending too much time playing catch-up.

“It is young people who have lost out most from the drop in funding for training and it’s the worst off children who have suffered most. People have to feel that whatever obstacles lie in their way, the government will be on their side to support them.

“Unless all the departments of government are working together we will not have the delivery we need. There must be some serious forward thinking about the skills that will be needed in a transformed economy. We need people with career expertise in every school.

“We’ve got to equip youngsters with the skills to come back to learning again and again.

“You decentralise whenever you can, to devolve as much as possible to the regions and localities, and establish collaboration at a local level.”

Members of the audience raised a number of issues arising from their own experience and help for the self-employed and small businesses was seen as a major gap in provision.

Heads from schools and colleges said there was a huge problem in recruiting and retaining staff qualified to give careers and skills advice.

And there was agreement that too many people would fall through the net unless services were focused on every individual’s personal needs.

Praful Nargund, a Bradford-born entrepreneur, and member of the Labour Party Council of Skills Advisors, said:

“We need a comprehensive cradle to grave skills structure. That involves reforming the apprenticeships system with more flexibility, digital upskilling, and grasping the opportunities of the green revolution.

“We have to give people across the country, whatever their background, the opportunity to make the most of their talents.”

Kevin Rowan, head of organisation, services and skills at the TUC, said: “There is a scandalous deficiency in skills provision across the UK. There’s been a generation of systemic failure.

“People need to be supported financially to participate in life-long learning. There’s a complete absence of good quality advice and guidance for workers who want to take time out to learn new skills.”