20 December 2022
The Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, has today published the FE and
Skills Actionable Agenda, which sets out the need to provide consolidated funding and support to
allow Islanders to develop skills throughout their working life.
The FE and Skills Actionable Agenda sets out actions in several key areas, including technical
education for 16-19 year olds, skills and education post-19, apprenticeships, higher education,
higher technical and professional education, employer engagement, and the reprovisioning of
Highlands College.
Among the key actions included are:
- Increase the age for education entitlement to 18 and up to the age of 25 for young people
with special educational needs
- Establish a Skills Fund, to enable a systematic approach to skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling
Jersey’s workforce
- Allocate separate funds for adult numeracy and literacy, including for people who speak
English as an additional language
- Review the cost and funding approach of apprenticeships.
- Work with the Jersey Employers Group (JEG) to provide apprenticeships in a wider range of
professions and trades
- Provide greater autonomy and flexibility for Highlands College, and fund improvements to
the campus
The Population and Skills Ministerial Group, which was established as part of the Chief Minister's
100 Day Plan, has overseen the paper, which aims to make Jersey’s labour market and economy
more flexibly and adaptable.
The Paper has been shared with Scrutiny and the States Assembly, and the actions will be taken
forward with oversight from the Population and Skills Ministerial Group.
Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, said: The Island needs people who have
the skills we need to keep the economy healthy. This isn’t just about providing an option for
technical and professional education as an alternative to A Levels or IB. We must make sure that
Islanders can keep learning after the age of 18; that they can build on what they know, develop
new skills, or change careers.
“There is already some great work being done in specific areas around digital skills, and through
apprenticeship. These actions will build on this good work, and ensure that we have the funding
and the structures in place to develop the skills we need for our future.”
The full report is available online
gov.je