Learning for life needs a system built for every stage, not just the start

Nobody stops needing to learn when they leave a classroom, a campus or an apprenticeship. Yet much of our skills system still operates as though education is something that happens at the beginning of life rather than throughout it.

That assumption no longer reflects the reality of work. Technology is changing jobs faster than ever. AI tools that barely existed a few years ago are already reshaping how millions of people work. Roles are evolving, new occupations are emerging and the skills people need are changing more quickly than the systems designed to develop them.

In this environment, learning cannot be treated as a one-off experience. The challenge is not simply helping people enter the workforce. It is helping them adapt, progress and remain employable throughout their careers.

The Government’s focus on young people is welcome. The Youth Guarantee, foundation apprenticeships and stronger support for employers taking on under-25s are positive steps. But they cannot be the whole story. Skills England projects around 1.8 million additional jobs in priority occupations by 2035. The education pipeline alone will not fill them. Alongside supporting new entrants, we will need to help adults develop new skills, move into new sectors and adapt to changing roles. Reskilling and upskilling will be essential.

This matters because the workforce of the future is largely already here. Around 80 per cent of the workforce of 2035 is already in employment today. Many of those people will change careers, return after a break or retrain as technology transforms their work.

At the same time, employers face growing pressure. Skills needs are evolving rapidly, while recruitment costs can make hiring new talent difficult. In sectors from financial services to professional services, changing technologies are creating demand for new capabilities while reducing demand for others. In many cases, the most practical solution is not replacing the workforce but developing it.

If we are serious about lifelong learning, we need a system designed around progression throughout a career, not separate products aimed at different age groups. People rarely follow a neat, linear path. Someone might begin with an apprenticeship, move into a short course and later progress to a higher apprenticeship. Others may start with targeted learning before moving into a longer qualification. The key is ensuring people can build on what they already know, rather than repeatedly starting from scratch.

The goal should be a connected system built around the skills required for particular occupations, with multiple ways to develop them. That means creating clearer progression routes between different forms of learning, giving employers greater flexibility to respond to changing skills needs and ensuring funding follows need rather than age.  A 24-year-old and a 44-year-old seeking to move into areas such as AI or data face the same challenge. Access to support should reflect that reality.

At BPP, we see the benefits of connected progression every day. The strongest outcomes often come when learning is built into a career from the outset, enabling people to move upwards or sideways as their ambitions and employers’ needs evolve. We also know that small steps can be powerful. Encouraging employers to take on just one apprentice in AI, technology or data can build confidence and capability, creating momentum for wider investment in skills.

While policy continues to evolve, employers do not need to wait. They can map skills gaps by role rather than age, make progression routes more visible and create opportunities for career changers and returners. Ultimately, the next phase of reform should be judged by a simple question: does it support learning throughout a person’s working life?

Lifelong learning is not a programme for the start of a career or a particular age group. It is the foundation of a resilient workforce and a productive economy. If reforms support a 44-year-old with the same commitment shown to a 24-year-old, we will have built a genuine lifelong learning system. If they do not, we risk creating a youth strategy with adult add-ons.

I am proud to support Get the Nation Learning because its message is simple: everyone matters. When employers and policymakers invest in learning at every age and stage of life, individuals, businesses and the wider economy all benefit.