The St Martin’s Group (SMG) has set out key policy reforms that will create an effective and robust skills system for the future. The SMG, which represents the views of large employers, awarding organisations, and leading training providers, has today published a manifesto which sets out its vision for a system that provides opportunity for all, truly serves the needs of employers and is quality focused and sustainable.

To achieve this, the manifesto outlines specific commitments which include measures for broadening participation, simplifying careers advice, enhancing the employer voice, promoting innovation, and establishing a stable and sustainable funding system.

Key recommendations include:

• Creating opportunities to broaden participation through increased support for lower-level programmes and qualifications.
• Enhancing the Employer Voice by creating a clear and effective route for employers to input into skills needs regionally and nationally.
• Delivering sustainable outcomes and economic growth by enabling employers to use their levy contributions to meet their business requirements. .
• Taking a more holistic approach to measuring success by including government, employers and learners in defining measures of success for all skills programmes.

SMG Co-Chair, Jane Hadfield, National Lead for Apprenticeships and Widening Participation at Health Education England, NHS England, commented “Bringing together the experience and expertise of the St Martin’s Group members, we are delighted to publish a manifesto which sets out impactful reforms for learners, employers and the UK’s skills sector”.

 “Skills policy should be at the centre of each party’s vision for the General Election. We are calling on all political parties to adopt our recommendations as they develop their manifestos and programme for government”.