Issued on: 22/07/2024 – 13:15Altered: 22/07/2024 – 13:14

2 minutes

Starmer said his government hopes the new body, called Skills England, will transform not only “the way we train our young people and adults, but also the relationship between business and the education system”.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, the UK’s new leader added that many young people have been “let down” by the lack of skills training, creating an over-reliance on migration within the economy.

“I do not criticise companies that hire workers from abroad and I certainly do not downplay the contribution that migration makes to our economy, our public services and of course our communities,” he told the audience.

“But if you think about it, as a system, it can’t be that some people don’t feel the pride of contribution, the dignity of work, just because we can’t find a way to create a cohesive skills system.”

Starmer said his Labour government, which was elected on July 4 and must now outline how it will tackle migration, “will not be satisfied with the simple idea of ​​importing skills”.

“We are turning a page here,” he insisted, pledging to “reduce our dependence on foreign workers in the long term.”

Skills England will work with another public body, the Migration Advisory Committee, to identify and address current and future skills gaps.

According to the Ministry of Education, it brings together central and local government, businesses, training institutions and trade unions to achieve this, while strategically overseeing the skills system for people aged 16 and over.

It was noted that one-third of the productivity improvement over the past two decades can be explained by improvements in skill levels.

But between 2017 and 2022, the UK’s skilled labour shortage is set to double to more than half a million, accounting for more than a third of all vacancies, the ministry said.

Net migration levels (the difference between those entering the country and those leaving) have risen dramatically in recent years, reaching a record high of 764,000 in 2022.

Last year there were 685,000, driven by non-EU citizens.

“It is good that we are reducing migration,” Starmer said.

“It’s too high. That’s why… Skills England will be working on this issue to make sure we have the skills to bring those levels down.”

© 2024 AFP