The skills coalition

CBI boss backs Greening vision

THE UNANIMITY is striking between Education Secretary Justine Greening and CBI director-general Caroline Fairbairn after the top business organisation issued its New Year message.

It wants reformed careers advice so every young person receives the very best guidance. So, too, does Ms Greening – she admitted too much was left to chance when she made a return visit to her former school in Rotherham.

It intends to campaign for higher equality technical education in the college, another desire that chimes with the Cabinet minister’s “equality of opportunity” agenda.

And the CBI is reiterating its call for “real progress on mass adult reskilling” so a greater proportion of the population have the expertise demanded of a high-tech and digital first economy. Again Ms Greening has said that education should not stop when a student leaves school.

Yet, while there might be subtle differences of emphasis, the sentiments are the same – skills has never been more important – and the future prospects of today’s young people, the wealth-creators of tomorrow, should not be left at the mercy of counter-productive political skirmishes.

Ms Greening’s solution is the creation of the “widest coalition possible, one that goes way beyond government” in order to future-proof the country’s economy ahead of Brexit.

With the CBI on board, who else is willing to join this new skills coalition? Education should not just be left to under-valued teachers – it is at its best when it is a true partnership between families, schools and employers.