The government is investing £2.5 billion in the National Skills Fund, to help adults to train and gain skills for employment. This will fund the Lifetime Skills Guarantee which includes an offer for any adult aged 24 and over who wants to achieve their first full level 3 qualification. The courses on offer through the Level 3 adult offer will be a variety of lengths and sector subject areas to improve job prospects. Information on accessing the offer will be available in early 2021. Full funding guidance for providers on the new level 3 offer will be published in the new year. Alongside the level 3 adult offer is the skills bootcamp programme, also announced as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, which will offer free, flexible courses of 12 to 16 weeks to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with an employer. The skills bootcamps are only available in certain locations to start with and will be expanded during 2021. Sector comment on the Lifetime Skills Guarantee can be read here. This article examines the NSF investment and how some of the promised investment for 2020/21 has been delayed.
