EDT welcomes the government’s Skills England announcement

Ross Anderson, Managing Director UK at EDT, said:

”We are encouraged by the government's commitment to advancing skills development in England and addressing the critical needs of our workforce for the future. We look forward to supporting our shared goals of addressing the skills gap, creating opportunities, and improving life chances through education and skills for all.”

EDT is well positioned to support Skills England initiatives and draw upon our broad sector knowledge in skills, careers, and employability.

Kiri Baxter, Deputy Director for Skills at EDT, added:

“We are uniquely positioned to contribute to the development of Skills England as an all-age national provider across the education, skills, employability, and careers advice sectors. Our current skills delivery across the country shows our relevance, and our capacity to collaborate with a range of stakeholders to improve the life opportunities for our learners and beneficiaries.

"The announcement of Skills England as a central organisation to bring together central and local government, employers, the further education sector, and trade unions to meet skills needs will be vital to ensuring there is a joined-up approach to, and strategic oversight of, the skills system in England.

"EDT aims to ensure that people from all backgrounds are offered opportunities to develop their skills at all stages of life. We recognise the importance of ongoing skills training and support at different stages of an individual’s career and education journey, as well as the importance of addressing barriers to education and sustainable career pathways.”

EDT’s role in the skills landscape

As an international not-for-profit provider with strategic national oversight, EDT designs programmes that meet the local needs of learners and, in turn, contribute to the wider economic strategy.

We welcome the opportunity to play a fundamental role in the development of an approach that can transform the landscape of skills development in England. We are ready to contribute our research, labour market information, programme delivery, and employer engagement resources and expertise to support this important initiative and help build a more skilled and adaptable workforce for the future.