Responding to today’s Budget, Dr Neil Bentley-Gockmann CEO of WorldSkills UK, which is playing a significant role in the provision of skills to help Build Back Better said:
“The Chancellor has set out an ambitious vision for rebuilding our economy which represents a significant opportunity for the skills sector.
“Continued increased investment in traineeships and apprenticeships is very welcome and if the recent Skills for Jobs White Paper has given us the framework for delivering the high quality skills that employers need to power economic growth, the Budget provides a challenging target to aim for. With a new infrastructure bank to encourage investment, plans for port developments for more offshore wind, freeport enterprise zones and city deals to encourage local economic development and job creation, it is clear that higher quality skills will be needed in all parts of the UK to turn these plans into reality.
“This creates an exciting opportunity for WorldSkills UK and our partners to play a dynamic role in helping develop a future economy which is global and outward-looking, using our international expertise to bring world-class skills back to the UK in key growth sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean technology and digital, helping to attract overseas investment to all parts of the UK, better matching up skills demand from employers with local skills supply and providing young people with fantastic training and career opportunities.
“I look forward to working with all WorldSkills UK’s partners in governments, businesses and education, to champion the role that high-quality skills can play in delivering the Chancellor’s blueprint for our future economy.”
