Employer's Social Mobility Alliance

There has been a significant decline in adult participation in further education over the last ten years. Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are overrepresented in lower- level study and apprenticeships which have a weak return in the labour market in comparison to higher level qualifications (level 3+). The sector has suffered acutely due to funding cuts. Spending per student in further education is lower than that received by students in secondary school or higher education.

Successive governments have invested heavily in graduates — seeing their skills as vital for economic prosperity — and have largely overlooked the importance of sub-degree qualifications and vocational routes for social equality. Whilst there has been a lot of talk amongst policymakers on the need for parity between vocational and academic pathways, there has been insufficient action. Pathways to progression beyond level 2 are not clearly mapped and the quality and availability of provision is patchy, partly a result of diminished funding and insufficient policy attention.

Culturally, academic routes are seen to have a higher status than vocational ones and this can impact self-perceptions amongst learners in further education and intensify the social divide in post-16 education. Labour market evidence, however, indicates that high level vocational qualifications hold an equivalent premium in the labour market to academic qualifications. And, the sector is effective at reaching large numbers of individuals through its diverse provision: A-levels, Foundation and Access courses, apprenticeships, work-based learning, basic skills, and vocational and technical skills (from entry level to degree level).

Further education is central to achieving regional economic equality, with colleges and employers working together to address skills deficiencies and foster sustainable growth. In remote and peripheral communities, further education is the only accessible option post-16 and therefore it has a critical role in improving life chances. Investing in further education and opportunities to upskill is therefore widely regarded as important for social mobility.