James Reed: V-levels are Labour’s best idea yet
Middle-class prejudice towards vocational paths has held the UK back. I welcome Labour’s V-level push, writes James Reed
It is long past time that we did away with the snobbery around non-academic routes into work.
Our young people are facing a jobs crisis, with 16 per cent of them currently out of work, and university graduates are finding it harder than ever to find employment as AI begins to cut swathes through many traditional entry level positions. So we need to get past old-fashioned, middle-class prejudices about the value of vocational paths.
That’s why I welcome the government’s announcement of V-levels – new post-16 vocational qualifications being introduced from 2027 alongside A-levels. Indeed, I think it could turn out to be the single best thing this government has done to date.
Crucially, each V-level will be equivalent to one A-level and can be combined with A-levels so students can mix academic and vocational study. The first subjects available include education, finance and digital – all areas where we at Reed see employers every day desperate for young people with relevant skills.
From 2028, more subjects will be added to V-level options, including business and administration, care services, construction, engineering and manufacturing, health and science, legal, sales, marketing and procurement and sports, fitness and exercise science. More subjects will be added in 2029 and 2030.
V-levels are designed to simplify the complex landscape of hundreds of existing vocational qualifications, many of which will be phased out – including, eventually, Level 3 BTECs and other post-16 technical qualifications. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson says the reforms will support young people to build secure, future-proof careers.
I agree that they could be of lasting benefit to many. For decades the UK has treated academic routes as the “gold standard” while vocational options were seen as second best. A clearer system with V-levels sitting alongside A-levels rather than beneath them should help rebalance that perception.
Employers will have more clarity about what young people can do – and I believe many will look most positively on candidates who have a mixture of vocational and academic qualifications.
A lot now depends on the execution and delivery of the new qualifications. Recruiters like my company are ready and willing to work with government and exam boards on this.
The potential prize is enormous. If we get it right, we can establish a system like that in Germany, which takes a much more vocational approach to education, and where only seven per cent of young people are out of work.
Family businesses need backing
Family businesses are the backbone of the British economy, making up 90 per cent of all companies and employing 57 per cent of the workforce. They also tend to be the best employers and are often vital anchors of regional and local economies. Labour Chancellor Denis Healey recognised this when he introduced business property relief, allowing family firms to be passed down to future generations, back in 1976.
Unfortunately, the current Chancellor has seen fit to undo this and from next month will impose death taxes on medium- and large-sized family firms, threatening many with being broken up or sold to private equity or foreign owners. I have been closely following a judicial review brought against the government by affected businesses in the High Court, and still hope that common sense prevails.
Welcome aboard!
I am delighted that my charity Big Give is this week welcoming four fantastic new ambassadors: Ruby Wax, Lorraine Kelly, Deborah Meaden and Megan McCubbin.
Big Give is a match funding charity which enables public donations to other charities participating in its campaigns to be doubled, and has raised £430m to date.
We have just finished our biggest ever arts fundraising campaign, Arts for Impact, and are looking forward to Earth Raise, which has become the UK’s biggest environmental fundraiser, and runs for one week from 22 April. Our new ambassadors are all passionate advocates for positive change, and we’re looking forward to working with them. You can learn more at www.biggive.org
Lessons from Dubai
The gloss has certainly come off the Dubai dream in recent weeks. Stories of people being arrested for posting videos of current events are extremely disturbing and will take a long time to fade in the memory. For me, it reiterates the case for not managing your life around your tax bill.
What I’m watching
Slightly to my surprise, I am greatly enjoying the Disney series Love Story, which charts the whirlwind courtship and marriage of John F Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette. It’s a wonderful piece of 90s nostalgia for those of us old enough to remember that time. Of course, we all know how the story sadly ended, but somehow that makes it even more compelling.
James Reed is the chairman and CEO of Reed