Skills policy updates - October 2025

Welcome to the Enginuity Policy Team’s policy update for October 2025. Our monthly update is designed to keep you informed about key developments in skills policy. This edition shares insights into recent government announcements and their implications for our sector, helping you stay ahead of changes shaping the skills landscape.

UK and England policy

Post-16 strategy published alongside consultation for V Levels 

The long-awaited post-16 white paper was published by government, with proposals to introduce a new 16 to 19 funding formula, new powers to bar unsuitable people from FE providers, raise higher education tuition fees in line with inflation, and introduce “skills passports” for adults. The white paper came alongside a new consultation on plans for new V Level qualifications, an expansion of T level subjects and the removal of the T Level foundation year.

Please see below a full summary of what comprises the post-16 strategy, and expect a digest of the V Level consultation soon. 

Download Enginuity's post-16 education and skills white paper summary

First Jobs Plan published for Clean Energy 

The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero published a Clean Energy Jobs Plan, the first of its kind. The Plan pledges £18m jointly from the UK and Scottish Governments that will pay for careers advice, training, and "skills passports" to enable oil and gas workers to make the switch without having to repeat qualifications. Ministers said their proposals will ensure people in these jobs have “world class pay, terms and conditions”. They said this includes closing loopholes to extend employment protections enjoyed by offshore oil and gas workers working beyond UK territorial seas. Government have identified 31 priority occupations that are particularly in demand, such as plumbers, electricians and welders, and lists a target to convert five colleges into new "Technical Excellence Colleges" to train workers. The plan sets out projections that the clean energy workforce could rise from about 440,000 jobs in 2023 to 860,000 by 2030, creating roughly 400,000 additional jobs. 

National Careers Service staff to move into civil service 

Up to 1,000 staff employed by National Careers Service subcontractors are expected to transfer into the civil service next October, as part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ rebranding of Jobcentres.  

Taskforce to improve FE teacher training  

A new government task force will aim to eradicate “contested or outdated theories” being taught to trainee FE lecturers, according to a call for evidence issued. The review will look at “relevant, high-quality theory and knowledge” underpinning early career training for FE teachers, which will be considered by an “expert advisory group” that will go on to recommend new statutory guidance for FE teaching programmes. 

Opposition leader vows to reintroduce controls for poor quality university courses to fund apprenticeships 

Leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch used her speech at the recent Conservative Party conference to suggest a future Conservative government would double England’s apprenticeships budget to £6 billion a year by reducing university student numbers by 100,000. Under the proposed Conservative policy, “places within each subject area will be allocated on the basis of quality and graduate outcomes”. 

The Department for Education removes subsides for higher technical qualifications 

The Department for Education has closed a grant programme to help colleges, universities and awarding bodies grow the delivery of higher technical qualifications (HTQs). HTQs were launched as a suite of government-approved level 4 and 5 certificates in 2022, offering learners one and two-year technical courses and sold as a “true alternative” to the university degree route. 

Staff at 68 colleges ballot on strike 

A ballot will run for staff at 68 colleges on whether to strike over for a “serious” pay offer, action on workloads and national pay bargaining. The ballot, which will run from October 13 to November 17, follows the Association of Colleges’ non-binding recommended pay award of 4 per cent. Unions are also calling for pay parity with schoolteachers within three years, a minimum starting salary of £30,000, and a return to national bargaining. 

Devolved Administrations

Medr launches consultation on regulation of Welsh tertiary education system 

Medr has launched a consultation (not to be confused with its ongoing consultation on the new Welsh apprenticeship programme) on a new regulatory system for tertiary education and training providers in Wales. The consultation seeks views on Medr’s proposals for a statement of intervention powers, the regulatory and quality frameworks and the learner engagement code. Responses can be given until 17^th December 2025.  

Most Scottish FE colleges face unsustainable losses  

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) published a study showing a further education sector in crisis, with 22 out of 24 colleges expected to spend more than their income this year. FE colleges remain highly dependent on the SFC grant, which accounts for more than three-quarters (77%) of their income. The SFC says further cuts will have a profound impact on the college curriculum, the quality of courses, staff numbers, student numbers, morale and local communities. 

Scottish Gov announces £150k to support grassroots youth services 

A fund of £150,000 has been announced to support grassroots youth services in Scotland. The funding, announced by Higher and Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson, is designed to help young people from low-income backgrounds re-engage with education, while also addressing issues of anti-social behaviour. Third-sector organisation Youth Scotland will deliver a £100,000 investment in grassroots youth work, with the aim of creating safe spaces where young people can overcome learning barriers and acquire new skills.