SKOPE for improvement

An important new policy brief has been published by the University of Oxford’s Centre on Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance (SKOPE), which makes a strong case for changing the employers’ role in the UK’s post-16 education and skills system. Paul Napper, NASC's Head of Training and Education, explores what it means for the scaffolding and access sector.

This work, backed by industry consultation, arrives at a critical moment as policymakers seek to align skills provision more closely with labour market needs, particularly in sectors such as construction, where skills gaps are persistent and access to clear training pathways remains a challenge.

As someone whose professional focus at NASC is on training excellence, learner pathways and the digitisation of skills development, I want to share what this policy brief means for our sector and how we should be responding.

SKOPE’s research highlights an enduring problem - the current system treats employers largely as consumers of training, not engaged partners in its design and delivery.

This current model has consequences, as employers struggle to find recruits with the right technical and transferable skills and training provision is fragmented and poorly coordinated.

These weaknesses will be familiar to many NASC members who want to invest in workforce development but find limited mechanisms through which to influence the design of qualifications, digital learning programmes or workforce planning.

The SKOPE policy brief makes two strategic recommendations. It suggests we move from the current employer-led narrative to an employer-engaged model, where employers are active partners in shaping skills provision. And second, it suggests clarifying concrete roles employers should play within the post-16 skills system.

To realise this vision, SKOPE offers four key recommendations:

• Employer leadership of the skills agenda within their organisations.
• Place-based collaboration in training design and delivery.
• Involvement in redesigning jobs and career structures to support long-term workforce needs.
• Engagement with government and sector experts on workforce planning and skills forecasting.

This moves beyond the old idea that training is something providers simply supply. Instead, it sees workforce development as a strategic, joint programme across employers, education providers and policymakers.

Implications for NASC

Strengthening Learner Pathways: The policy brief emphasises clear pathways from education and training into skilled work. For scaffolding, this aligns with our ongoing work to ensure learners can follow progressive routes from entry-level training to advanced technical and supervisory skills and beyond, that are aligned with real employer demand.

Digitisation as an Enabler: SKOPE’s call for better coordination recognises a need for systems that use real-time labour market data, something we can support through digital learning platforms that map skills to evolving industry needs. Digitisation can also make training more accessible and flexible, opening pathways for adults already in employment to upskill and reskill efficiently, a key policy aim highlighted across UK skills reforms.

Employers as Partners in Design & Delivery: The brief also asks employers to be involved earlier and more deeply, not just reacting to skills shortages, but helping define curriculums, training standards and delivery approaches that reflect the requirements of the workplace.

Implications for scaffolding

In the scaffolding sector this means that all stakeholders need to have meaningful input into qualification design, including the co-creation of learning materials with NASC, CISRS and training centres, through the CISRSQAC and Training and Education Committee. It also means closer involvement in structured apprenticeships and modular training that can be delivered digitally and in the workplace.

This policy brief only provides a suggested framework, but it points towards practical steps the scaffolding and access sector should embrace, including the need to champion learner pathways that reflect real employer needs, especially in the digital world.

But it also highlights the role of local collaboration, both regionally and nationally, to join up the demand for skills across the industry with training supply. This in turn will require strategic investment in training that goes beyond compliance to deliver long-term workforce capability.

And all of this gets back to the fundamental focus on the need to advocate for policy that recognises employers as partners in skills design, not just customers.

This report reframes how we should think about NASC members’ place in the skills ecosystem, particularly those who are committed to excellence in training and development. This shift should be seen as an opportunity for NASC to deepen our influence, shape future skill pathways and leverage digital innovation to strengthen the workforce.

By embracing employer engagement and digital transformation, we can help ensure that the post-16 skills system delivers what our sector truly needs, which is a resilient, skilled and agile workforce prepared for the challenges ahead.