“The focus on skills came across loud and clear in today’s budget. Chancellor Philip Hammond’s assessment that ‘backing skills is key to unlocking growth nationally’ recognises the need to bridge a skills gap, and invest in areas outside of London.”
“The move to create a new National Centre for Computing and triple the number of computer science teachers is a positive step in the right direction to address a recognised national skills shortage in computing. The announcement follows recent reports that more than half of England’s secondary schools did not offer GCSE computer science in 2015-16.
“At the same time the Chancellor’s boost to investment in maths will help future-proof the workforce, whilst the investment in the construction sector will also help address a skills gap ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU.
“A greater provision for retraining during working life is another forward-thinking step - and one that is very much in line with the trend that sees millennials more inclined to ‘job hop’ than previous generations.
“Overall, Chancellor Philip Hammond’s budget has wide-reaching implications for training and employment – and a much needed strategy to bridging the skills gap.”
