The IMI responds to Commons Education Select Committee report on FE and Skills

The Education Select Committee is right to highlight the urgent need for reform and investment in the further education system. For the automotive industry, apprenticeships remain the gold-standard entry route, but without a well-funded, well-resourced FE sector, the pipeline of trainers and learners will dry up.

The automotive sector needs a skills system that works for every learner and gives employers confidence that the workforce of the future will be ready to deliver growth, innovation, and the transition to net zero.

Ultimately, government, employers, and colleges share the same ambition: a skilled, adaptable workforce. To achieve this, the FE sector needs long-term investment, and the right structures to deliver technical education that meets industry needs.