A new report by the Lifelong Education Institute makes the case for the introduction of an Adult Skills Account – a contribution scheme that can help share the cost of training between employee, employer, and state.
The report, titled ‘Making Lifelong Education Work: Skills Accounts for Bite-Size Learning’, which was kindly supported by Staffordshire University, argues that such a mechanism can help stimulate participation in education and training among the working population and provide a pathway to higher education, including the take up of loans such as the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
The paper advocates for the introduction of an ‘Adult Skills Account’ that could be financed through a system akin to National Insurance Contributions (NICs) or workplace pensions, enabling employees, employers, and government to contribute towards the costs and benefits of skills training.
An online ‘Adult Skills Account’, administered through a payroll enrolment system, would provide a digital record of learning and total contributions. This account could then be topped-up with additional funds, including a Lifelong Learning Entitlement, as well as other public funding, bursaries, and grants.
