HR Technical call: member discussion - Skills England

12 February, 2025, 13:00 - 14:00 | MS Teams

The next HR Technical call aims to inform BRC’s position on the upcoming changes to the skills landscape.

Following up on member’s concerns, we’ve written to the Skills Minister (click here to find out more) and are keen to ensure we have adequate input from members to inform future conversations.

The Government has announced the creation of Skills England, ‘a new arms-length body that will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade’, which will:

• Unify the skills landscape;
• Identify and address emerging skills gaps; and
• Define the training accessible through the new Growth and Skills Levy.

As part of the reforms, the Apprenticeship Levy will now be renamed as the Growth and Skills Levy and, initially will focus on the eight growth driving sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy, together with construction and health and social care .

A report on the first phase is expected in Spring 2025, and the BRC wants to ensure members voice is heard as these changes are shaped and implemented.

With that in mind, the BRC will host a HR Technical call on 12 February (1pm-2pm, MS Teams) for a live conversation with members, with a view to identifying where are labour and skills shortages across the economy and particularly in retail.

The HR Technical call aims to achieve industry alignment on skills shortfalls and future needs and the role of different stakeholders, understand the role of retailers in addressing skills gaps and how Skills England and Industrial Strategy can help deliver needs from government and industry to address there.

With that in mind, we ask attendees to provide input on:

• Identifying priority skills gaps/development needs through industry engagement, including:
  • Front line leadership skills (inclusive leadership delivering profit, growth, customer service, in a sustainable way).
  • Digital skills – from basic to advanced.
  • Driving Social mobility.
• How we can define the role of retailers, the role of government and that of other players in shaping the changes?
• How else we can influence and shape Skills England and Industrial Strategy to deliver government role?

Make sure to sign up to the next HR Technical call by login into your BRC account and downloading the invite.

If you have any issues in doing so or if you want to share your feedback in writing, please contact Luiza.Gomes@brc.org.uk