Rachel Credidio, Group people and transformation director responds to the Queen's speech

Rachel Credidio, Group people and transformation director at housing association Aster Group, said:

“The mention of skills in the Queen’s speech, should provide encouragement to recovering businesses and those looking for work after a challenging year.   

“The Lifetime Skills Guarantee looks an excellent policy and I hope to see the government use it as a long-term approach, not just a temporary measure, to help people back into work after COVID-19. As the world of work changes, career flexibility that goes beyond just when or where we work is going to be crucial. I believe that in the future the norm will be providing people with the resources to learn new skills at any point in their lives, moving us away from the current ‘career for life’ thinking , which can disadvantage those in sectors most disrupted by technology, globalisation and wider economic factors.

“It’s vital that businesses take an active role in making the government’s skills policies work for them. There are skills gaps across a range of vital sectors and closer cooperation between the private sector and education, where firms have a hand in shaping the training potential candidates receive, is key to creating the  workforce of the future.”