From work entry to progression: exploring training pathways in an evolving UK Active Labour Market Policy context

Gaining new skills is important for work entry and progression, while employers report skills shortages as key reasons for being unable to recruit and retain their staff. However, the extent to which UK Active Labour Market Policy (ALMP) supports participation in education and training is underexplored. As UK policymakers increasingly shift their attention from work entry to in-work progression as part of ongoing ALMP reforms, understanding how employment support services can facilitate participation in meaningful learning opportunities and the outcomes of this for individuals, employers and wider society and economy is emerging as an important policy and practice issue. According to the latest available statistics, only 6 per cent of UK benefit spells include any kind of education or training (DWP/DfE, 2019). More widely, UK adult learning participation has been declining for some time and is low compared to other competitor nations (Green, 2021). Recent think tank research suggests the UK’s welfare system hinders rather than helps engagement in training (Gable, 2021). Research conducted with diverse groups of ALMP participants points to a lack of tangible training opportunities which, where they exist, are not well matched to jobseekers’ needs and interests (Welcond, 2018; Jones et al, 2022). Existing research also highlights policy silos resulting in a patchwork of provision and a lack of clarity about access to training opportunities - which is confusing for both employers and jobseekers to navigate (Gingerbread, 2022; Jones and Carson, 2023). Recent research focused on employer perspectives of UK ALMP suggests that opportunities to develop new skills should be a core component of new in-work progression policymaking, along with generally being a more effective alternative to established Work First approaches to facilitating work entry (Jones and Carson, 2023). Furthermore, assessments of sector-focused training programmes which involve employers appear to have more positive effects (Hendra et al, 2016). However, while there has been a policy push to “put employers in the driving seat” in relation to skills policy more broadly, research has exposed limited attempts to include them in the development of UK ALMP (Martin and Swank, 2012; Jones, 2022; Jones and Carson, 2023; Ingold and McGurk, 2023). Based on a review of the existing evidence base and policy and practice context, this paper considers the following questions: 1) What role does (or should) training play in UK ALMP development, which increasingly focuses on both work entry and progression? 2) Will a new focus on in-work progression help to tackle enduring policy silos, with greater coordination between social, education, and skill formation policies? 3) What is the appetite amongst policymakers to “put employers in the driving seat” when it comes to the development of training provision for ALMP participants? 4) How does this compare to approaches taken in other European countries? Drawing insights from multiple literatures and policy debates, this paper will provide a current “state of play” picture and identify avenues for further research in this field (both in a UK and comparative context).