Levelling up – Skills Skills Skills

Last week the long-awaited government white paper on levelling up was published.

Businesses, and especially big businesses can and should play a central role in levelling up.?This can be done in so many ways, however, for me one of the critically important ways we (businesses) can support is by helping individuals to build skills and confidence.?Not only does this help marry up talent and opportunity, but in turn, it also helps communities by investing in them, rather than extracting from them.?And with National Apprenticeships Week beginning this week, this is a timely example of how business can truly play a powerful role in levelling up.

Currently over a third (35%) of young people now leave school without the basic qualifications of a Grade 4 / C GCSE in English and Maths.?And with two thirds of young people feeling the odds are stacked against them following the pandemic, now is surely the time to act.

Managed well, apprenticeships help build careers and the skills businesses need to bridge the productivity gap, as well as also letting people thrive in the communities that raised them, rather than having no choice but to get out to get on.?

To truly level up, opportunities need to be spread equally throughout communities, as the disproportion in access to higher education throughout the country is clear. Take York as an example, where 50% of people have higher education qualifications, compared to only 25% of people in Doncaster. And in Stoke, 25% of the working age population have no qualifications at all.

We know how large business can help support smaller business in this space. The unique levy share service we’ve set up at the Co-op has seen more than 30 businesses pledge ￡8 million in unspent levy funds for smaller businesses to use to take on new apprentices, for people who would otherwise struggle to find a career path.

Also, on a personal note, I know apprenticeships can work because I started life in retail as a weekend trolley collector, before becoming what would now be called an apprentice when I was 18 years old. This gave me the opportunity to make a career out of the untapped talent I had, and from there, build on the skills and experiences I gained on the scheme to now being the CEO of the oldest and one of the world's largest Co-op's.

And boosting the skills agenda can also be done in a smart and effective way to help tackle issues we face on a global scale too, such as our drive towards Net Zero.?We should be powering a green revolution, with an equivalent investment in a green skills transformation to get us there. Just as business has a vital role to play in delivering levelling up, business must also prioritise delivering Net Zero.

To truly make the UK a place where everyone can reach their full potential, we need to work together, building genuine co-operation between government, business, and community. So, my message to government is: we are ready. Let's get started, because this is a mission which is critical for our country, our communities, and our members.