Control over apprenticeships policy will move from the Department for Education (DfE) to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), following the government reshuffle last week. The change was confirmed by the new skills minister, Jacqui Smith, during an interview at the EuroSkills competition in Denmark.
This shift means that responsibility for apprenticeship policy, the apprenticeship levy, and adult skills will now sit with DWP. Meanwhile, Skills England will continue to work across government, ensuring cross-departmental coordination.
Responsibility for further education and higher education will remain with the Department for Education. A formal ministerial statement is expected in the coming weeks.
What it means is a bigger emphasis on skills in a larger part of government… We have put skills much more centrally at the heart of what the government is trying to achieve.
Jacqui Smith described the move as a “logical next step,” explaining that it reflects a bigger emphasis on skills across government. By aligning apprenticeships and adult skills with labour market policies, Jobcentres, and employment services, the government aims to better integrate training with national workforce needs.
The move follows the appointment of Pat McFadden as the minister overseeing the new “super ministry” for growth, with a priority focus on addressing the high numbers of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) — currently estimated at 948,000.
For the construction and interiors sector, this change signals an increased focus on skills as part of wider economic policy. The NAS will continue to monitor developments closely, ensuring our members’ voices are heard as government policy evolves.
