Sense and instability 2019

Working with The Research Base, we found that important lessons from the implementation of skills policy over several decades have not been learned, meaning badly-needed training and education programmes are not fit for purpose or delivering the right results for people, businesses and the economy. Our research also found that the wrong measurement combined with almost no evaluation of the efficacy of the Government’s training and education policy is resulting in poor investment decisions. Unlike the Department for Transport and Department for International Development, the Department for Education does not have a value for money framework in place. Unless this situation is improved, the consequences could be devastating not only to the UK’s economic success and productivity, but also the Government’s attempts to foster better social mobility. To help tackle this issue, we are repeating our call for the creation of a new independent body to oversee the development and implementation of skills and education policy in the UK.