Today, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, announced a package of reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy, as part of a wider drive to unlock new jobs and apprenticeship opportunities across the UK, with a renewed focus on supporting young people at the start of their working lives.
We welcome the government’s continued ambition to strengthen the skills system and its commitment to expanding opportunities for young people through education, employment and training.
At the same time, we are disappointed that Management apprenticeships will be defunded as part of the streamlining of the apprenticeship offer. In a world increasingly shaped by AI and rapid technological change, strong people leadership and management capability will be more important, not less.
We are proud of the impact Corndel has delivered over many years through high quality leadership and management programmes. Thousands of aspiring managers, from diverse sectors and backgrounds, have developed the confidence, capability and judgement needed to lead teams well. For many people, these programmes have been genuinely life-changing - opening up new career pathways, building confidence at work and enabling progression that might otherwise have been out of reach. This impact has been made possible by our exceptional coaches and by employers who have consistently valued the outcomes these programmes deliver for their people and their organisations.
AI Leadership Apprenticeship Unit
Alongside this, we welcome the introduction of greater flexibility for employers through seven new apprenticeship units aligned to Industrial Strategy priorities, including artificial intelligence leadership. These short, flexible courses are designed to respond quickly to evolving skills needs, with further units to be developed through ongoing input from industry.
The inclusion of an AI Leadership unit, focused on developing AI strategy, reflects the growing importance of equipping leaders with the skills to harness emerging technologies responsibly and effectively. As an organisation already supporting hundreds of employers and thousands of apprentices through our AI and digital apprenticeship programmes, we recognise the value of this approach.
Corndel will continue to focus on delivering programmes that combine technical capability with the human skills required to lead change, support people and drive long-term performance across organisations.