I have received emails from some Islanders regarding the Union Learning Fund. Funding for the Union Learning Fund is due to cease in March 2021 with capital redirected elsewhere to support investment in skills and further education.
One of the Government’s key reforms is the introduction of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. Under the Guarantee, adults without an A-Level or equivalent qualification will be offered a free, fully funded qualification at a time and location of their choice.
Islanders will also have the opportunity to access a new online learning platform called ‘The Skills Toolkit’ which was launched during the Coronavirus pandemic offering free digital and numeracy courses. I would encourage all Islanders to go online to https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/find-a-course/the-skills-toolkit and take advantage of the range of courses offered.
It is important that Ministers regularly review how skills and training are funded to ensure money is invested correctly. Ministers are committed to ‘levelling up’ across the whole of the United Kingdom and have emphasised the importance of skills and training in fulfilling this ambition.
I believe that it is important that all Islanders have the chance to access training which provides the opportunity to retrain, upskill and find new jobs, especially during these challenging times, and I am grateful to those that have contacted me about this.