Burton, Thomas (2025) Perspective: Reclaiming the Vocational Mission: The 2025 Post-16 Skills White Paper. International Journal of Human Resource Development: Practice, Policy and Research, 9 (2). pp. 133-137.

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Abstract

This article critically examines the evolution and future trajectory of technical and vocational education within the context of the 2025 Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper. It evaluates how emerging policy mechanisms — namely the Growth and Skills Levy, the Youth Guarantee, and the national ambition for two-thirds of young people to attain higher technical or degree-level qualifications by age 25 — reposition work-based learning as a cornerstone of England’s education and economic strategy. Drawing on policy discourse, academic literature, and comparative international analysis, the article explores both the opportunities and structural tensions embedded within the current reform agenda. It concludes with evidence-informed recommendations to ensure technical education remains credible, equitable, and sustainable within England’s evolving technical and vocational education and training (TVET) landscape.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.2478/ijhrd-2025-0014
School/Department:	York Business School
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/13691

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