Milburn Review: Strong FE systems and a supported workforce are key to tackling the NEET crisis, says ETF 

Ahead of the publication of the final report of the Milburn Review, Young people and work, Dr Katerina Kolyva, CEO, Education Training Foundation (ETF), the professional body for further education (FE) and skills, sets out four things ETF wants to see in the final report for FE and skills – a sector identified as critical to improving outcomes for young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs).  

Dr Katerina Kolyva, CEO, Education Training Foundation says: 

“The Milburn Review has rightly put the spotlight on the near one million young people not in education, employment or training in the UK, and on the urgent need to reconnect them with learning and work.  

The issue is not a lack of ambition among young people. The review’s own evidence shows that the majority (84%) of young people who are NEET want to work, learn or train. The challenge is whether the system around them provides the opportunities, pathways and support they need to be successful.  

FE and skills must be central to that response because it is one of the country’s most important drivers of social mobility. The interim review is clear that high-quality education and teaching are critical to reducing the risk of becoming NEET – exactly what our sector is focused on delivering.  

FE and skills gives young people second and third chances 

Every skilled teacher and effective leader in FE and skills has the potential to change a life, helping a young person to remain in learning and progress. FE and skills gives young people second and third chances, rebuilds confidence, and creates routes into work for those who face the greatest barriers through a meaningful vocational education, which includes contact with employers and industry practices. For young people most at risk of becoming NEET, Milburn concludes that FE and skills is not marginal to the post-16 landscape: it is the landscape. 

FE and skills sector’s impact extends beyond qualifications  

Our research into social value in FE and skills, drawing on evidence from 175 contributors, shows that the sector’s impact extends well beyond qualifications – including building confidence and wellbeing, strengthening social inclusion and creating opportunities for individuals and communities.  

Our Beyond the Label research also shows how important well-designed transitions are, particularly for learners with SEND. It highlights the need for support to be needs-led, for services to work together and for the workforce to have the capability and professional development to provide consistent, inclusive support. 

As we await the final Review, which we hope will provide a roadmap for what a coherent participation system for early adulthood should look like, we have set out four things we want to see." 

1. Clear responsibility: make FE and skills part of the system by design. 

There should be clear responsibility for supporting young people as they move from school into post-16 education, training and employment, with continuity between the different organisations involved. FE and skills providers and their workforce should help shape that system nationally and locally, rather than simply being asked to deliver it once decisions have been made. 

2. Funding that reflects what it takes to support participation. 

Funding needs to enable colleges and training providers to respond flexibly to young people’s circumstances, including those who enter at different points, change pathway or need additional support to remain in learning. The review itself identifies ways in which current funding arrangements can make flexible, in-year provision harder to offer to the young people who could benefit most. 

3. Accountability for whether young people participate and progress. 

Qualifications matter, but they cannot be the only measure of success. The system should also understand whether young people remain in learning and progress into sustained education, training or employment. ETF’s social value research similarly points to the need for stronger longitudinal evidence, and a broader understanding of the outcomes FE and skills creates. Better sharing and use of data would also help prevent young people falling between institutions and services. 

4. A system capable of supporting young people facing the greatest barriers. 

That requires flexible pathways, strong transitions and skilled people. Teachers, trainers, leaders and support staff in FE and skills do much more than deliver qualifications: they build trusted relationships, support learners to remain in education, connect them with employers and other services and help them take the next step. The review recognises that the strength and stability of the FE and skills workforce is integral to improving outcomes for young people. 

Investment, capacity and support in FE and skills key to outcomes for young people 

Katerina concludes, “For ETF, this is about ensuring we have a confident, skilled and well-supported FE and skills workforce with the investment, capacity and support it needs to help every young person participate, progress and fulfil their potential. 

Teachers, trainers, leaders and support staff are central to improving outcomes for young people, but they cannot do that without sustainable funding and systems that enable them to respond to individual need. The final Milburn Review is an opportunity to ensure that the workforce – and the funding and infrastructure around it – is designed to give young people the consistency, expertise and opportunities they need to succeed.” 

ETF will publish a fuller analysis of the implications of the final Milburn Review for the FE and skills sector following publication.