Manufacturers welcome Government’s focus on technical skills reform

Aaron Blutstein 20 October 2025  

Manufacturers have welcomed the Government’s commitment to strengthening technical and vocational education following the publication of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper.

Industry body Make UK said the reforms mark a positive step in addressing the long-standing shortage of technical skills within manufacturing, which continues to hinder recruitment and growth across the sector.

Jamie Cater, Senior Policy Manager – Skills and Employment at Make UK, said that improving vocational pathways is vital to ensuring the future success of the industry

“With a large majority of manufacturers identifying a lack of technical skills as the biggest barrier to successful recruitment, they will welcome the Government’s focus on improving technical and vocational training options for young people,” he said. “Following the announcement of additional funding for engineering skills in the industrial strategy, and the Prime Minister’s party conference speech putting gold-standard apprenticeships on an equal footing with academic routes, today’s publication of the post-16 education and skills white paper is another important step forward.”

Cater added that employers often find the current post-16 education system complex and difficult to navigate. The Government’s plan to streamline qualifications through the introduction of new V Levels could help simplify the system and make it easier for employers to engage.

“Employers often find the post-16 landscape difficult to navigate – the Government is right to try to address this by streamlining the large number of qualifications with the introduction of V Levels,” he said. “However, care must also be taken to ensure that employers understand these new qualifications – the skills and knowledge they will give to young people, and the expectations on employers to provide industry experience, must be made clear.”

According to Make UK, reforms such as V Levels and continued support for T Levels could help manufacturers attract more apprentices and build a stronger talent pipeline for the future.

“Manufacturers will be optimistic that reformed and improved training options through new V Levels and continued support for T Levels will boost their apprenticeship recruitment, which is critical to developing the future workforce the sector needs,” Cater said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Government on making these reforms a success and improving employer investment in the technical skills that are crucial to the success of manufacturing.”

Make UK said the White Paper represents a constructive step towards aligning education with the needs of modern industry and ensuring young people have access to high-quality, practical training that supports long-term careers in manufacturing.