The Learning and Skills Council is to cut 1,300 jobs as part of a £40m savings programme, it was announced today.
The skills body, which spends about £8bn a year funding further education in colleges and school sixth forms in England, said it had to be “less bureaucratic” and provide better value to the taxpayer.
The move will see staffing levels cut from 4,700 to 3,400. Jobs will be cut at offices across England, including at its headquarters in Coventry.
“Over the coming weeks we will discuss these proposals with the union, other staff representatives, local councils and partner organisations,” said chief executive Mark Haysom.
“We want to develop new, less bureaucratic and more strategic relationships with partners to ensure better quality and more relevant training for employers and individuals.”
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The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union called the plan “devastating”.
“These cuts will bring devastation to the delivery of vocational courses, apprenticeships and adult learning, seriously undermining the government’s skills agenda,” said PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka.
