Employers invited to shape future of skills and apprenticeships

Serco Employment, Skills and Training is bringing together a small group of employers for an Employer Roundtable designed to capture real‑world insight and help shape what future skills and apprenticeship provision should look like.

This follows recent Government decisions to defund a number of apprenticeship programmes, creating immediate and longer‑term implications for employers across sectors particularly in how organisations develop leadership capability, plan workforce progression and invest in future skills.

The roundtable, happening online on 29 April from 9.30 am, will provide an opportunity for levy and non‑levy employers to share their experiences of recent funding changes, explore what is no longer working, and influence the design of alternative or replacement pathways that better reflect commercial and operational reality.

Claire Lane (pictured), head of employer engagement, said: “Employers are currently facing some difficult choices following recent apprenticeship funding changes.

“This roundtable is about listening to employers and making sure future leadership and skills provision is practical, sustainable and shaped by real experience.”  

The session will focus on sector‑agnostic leadership, management, improvement and digital skills programmes.

Discussion will explore the impact of recent apprenticeship funding changes on employers and consider appetite for alternative or redesigned apprenticeship routes at Levels 3–6.

The session will also look at emerging needs around leadership, improvement, data, digital and AI skills alongside preferred delivery models and what employers need to see for future programmes to succeed.

Rather than a presentation or consultation exercise, the roundtable is intended to be an interactive, employer‑led discussion. Insights gathered will directly inform future programme design and skills provision.

The session is open to employers interested in influencing the future direction of skills and apprenticeship routes, regardless of sector.

Employers interested in contributing to the discussion can find further details about the roundtable and register through the Serco website.