Skills for transport manufacturing

Transport Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 22 Jul 2025 Parliament page
The UK has a long tradition of manufacturing motor vehicles, buses, aeroplanes, trains, and ships, but manufacturers in the transport industries are concerned about skills shortages. These industries are integral to the economic health of the communities they are based in, and they provide high-quality, British-built equipment for companies here … Read more
10 Recommendations
6 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
1 Letter
2 Events
Activity timeline 7 events
5 May
2026
Report published
28 Jan
2026
Report published
5 Nov
2025
Oral evidence
5 Nov
2025
Correspondence
5 Nov
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
22 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
22 Oct
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
5 Nov 2025
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Alan Krikorian · Department of Work and Pensions Eddie Dempsey · National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) Lilian Greenwood MP · Department for Transport Mr John McGookin · Unite the Union Rebecca Schapira · Department for Business and Trade Sarah Maclean CBE · Skills England
22 Oct 2025
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Balaji Srimoolanathan · ADS Group Ltd Dr Benjamin Silverstone · Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick Jamie Cater · Make UK Matthew Ogg · Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Oriel Petry · Airbus Professor Chris Brace · University of Bath (IAAPS + Institute of Coding) Tom Chant MBE · Society of Maritime Industries
Title HC No. Published Items Response
5th Report - Engine for growth: securing skills for transport ma… HC 1223 28 Jan 2026 16 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
16 results
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
UK transport manufacturing sustains communities, providing high-quality jobs and significant economic contribution.
Manufacturing of motor vehicles, buses, aeroplanes, trains, and ships has deep roots in the UK, supported by rich ecosystems of associated businesses and supply chains. Transport manufacturing provides high quality, well-paid work which sustains many communities across the country and … Read more
Government Response
Acknowledges the importance of transport manufacturing to the UK economy and describes changes to the Growth and Skills Levy and funding for various skills initiatives.
Department for Transport
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2 Conclusion Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Mobilise cross-government support and cultivate talent to capitalise on transport manufacturing decarbonisation opportunities.
The Government’s legislation on the provision of bus and rail services, and policies promoting transition to EVs and fuel innovation in aerospace, provide once-in-a-generation opportunities for production and employment. Delivering on these opportunities will require the Department of Transport to … Read more
Government Response
The Government states that supporting skills across the eight growth-driving sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy is a priority and that they are introducing flexibilities through the growth and skills levy to support critical skills in these sectors.
Department for Transport
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3 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Mandate regular meetings between Transport Secretary and counterparts; expedite procurement response to support British manufacturers.
The Secretary of State for Transport should meet regularly with her counterparts in the Departments for Business and Trade, Education and Skills, Work and Pensions, Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Cabinet Office with a focus on how the … Read more
Government Response
The Government highlights work with Skills England to ensure the offer meets business needs, delivers value for money and supports economic growth, and states they are launching the first eight apprenticeship units from April 2026, focussing on priority sectors.
Department for Transport
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4 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Increase flexibility for apprenticeship levy funds to benefit SMEs and UK-wide transport manufacturers.
Substantial amounts of levy funding has expired unspent. Rather than further constraining the opportunities for spending such funding, the Government should increase flexibility. We welcome the Government’s Budget 2025 commitment to fully fund apprenticeships for eligible people under 25 at … Read more
Government Response
The government will work with industry to ensure that Occupational Standards are updated as needed to reflect changing industry needs, and Skills England’s new accelerated approach will mean updates to apprenticeships or development of new short courses can be completed in as little as three months.
Department for Transport
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5 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Extend apprenticeship levy expiry; consult on capital expenditure, UK-wide spending, and SME supply chain mechanisms.
The Government should: • extend the expiry window for unspent levy funding to three years; • consult on allowing levy funding to be used on capital expenditure to support the provision of training and skills development (so long as that … Read more
Government Response
The Government sets clear expectations for schools and colleges through strengthened statutory guidance, updated in spring 2025, and there is external accountability provided by Ofsted.
Department for Transport
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6 Conclusion Accepted
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Removing Level 7 apprenticeship funding for over-22s jeopardises transport manufacturing's skilled worker supply.
We acknowledge that the Government is seeking to re-balance funding to prioritise people aged below 22. However, the removal of Government funding for level 7 apprenticeships for those aged 22 and older risks jeopardising the supply of experienced and highly … Read more
Government Response
The Government has now brought forward its response to the consultation on public procurement, published on 26th March 2026, and transport manufacturing is included within the definitions of Advanced Manufacturing in the Sector Plan.
Department for Transport
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7 Recommendation Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Re-introduce levy funding for Level 7 apprenticeships for all ages across key growth sectors.
We concur with the Education Committee in its report on Further Education and Skills that the Government should re-introduce levy funding for level 7 apprenticeships for all ages within the eight growth- driving sectors identified in the Government’s Modern Industrial … Read more
Government Response
The Department for Transport will engage with employers, supported by Skills England, to continue to build this picture to inform the development of vocational training pathways and products.
Department for Transport
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8 Conclusion Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Outdated apprenticeship standards contain gaps, failing to meet transport manufacturing sector employer requirements.
Apprenticeship standards and other technical education training standards are not consistently being kept up to date and sometimes contain significant gaps or irrelevant content. As a result, the skills provided do not always meet the requirements of employers in the … Read more
Government Response
Skills England welcomes the opportunity to work with the transport manufacturing sector to understand their needs for skills passports and how these connect with the wider manufacturing sector where passport development is already under consideration.
Department for Transport
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9 Recommendation Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Ensure apprenticeship standards are updated every three years with transport manufacturer involvement.
Skills England should ensure that, notwithstanding the recent change to remove the requirement to undertake reviews at fixed points, apprenticeship and other technical education training standards are revised and updated at a minimum of every three years. It is essential … Read more
Government Response
The DBT has developed a target, in consultation with industry, to increase women’s representation in the sector to 35% by 2035, and are working with industry to improve representation and diversity across the sector, including through a Make UK Equality Taskforce due to be launched in the coming months.
Department for Transport
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10 Conclusion Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
UK lacks sufficient education-to-industry pipeline and adequate workforce reskilling and upskilling support.
The UK does not have a sufficient pipeline from education to industry. Re- skilling and upskilling are also not adequately supported to better enable people to be retained by existing businesses or move from one business or sector to another. … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the skills gap and references its vision for a world-leading skills system and actions being taken to align delivery levers across employment and adult skills programmes.
Department for Transport
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11 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Gather annual transport manufacturer data on vocational training effectiveness; report findings to DfE, DWP.
The Department for Transport should on at least an annual basis gather information from British transport manufacturers on how effectively the UK’s vocational training system is delivering a robust pipeline of skills, and report these findings to the Departments for … Read more
Government Response
The Department for Transport will engage with employers, supported by Skills England, to continue to build this picture to inform the development of vocational training pathways and products.
Department for Transport
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12 Recommendation Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Consult the transport manufacturing sector on a ‘competency passport’ approach for worker transferability.
Skilled workers face significant barriers when trying to move across and within areas of transport manufacturing. This is especially frustrating when employers report persistent skills shortages. Skills England should by the end of 2026 consult the transport manufacturing sector on … Read more
Government Response
Skills England welcomes the opportunity to work with the transport manufacturing sector to understand their needs regarding a 'competency passport' approach and how these can connect with the wider manufacturing sector where passport development is already under consideration.
Department for Transport
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13 Conclusion Acknowledged
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Significant challenge persists in increasing diversity within the transport manufacturing sector.
There is a significant and complex challenge to be overcome in increasing diversity in the transport manufacturing sector. We welcome the Department for Transport’s commitment to work with industry to change outdated perceptions of manufacturing and strongly endorse the Government’s … Read more
Government Response
The government restates its commitment to increasing women’s representation in the advanced manufacturing sector to 35% of the workforce by 2035 and references work with industry via the Make UK Equality Taskforce.
Department for Transport
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14 Recommendation Deferred
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Develop an evidence-led plan to increase diversity within the transport manufacturing sector.
Skills England should by the end of 2026 set out an evidence-led plan, commissioning research necessary to fill gaps in knowledge on what has worked best in the manufacturing sector, detailing how it will support the Government’s target to increase … Read more
Government Response
The government will wait for the Make UK Equality Taskforce's recommendations before taking action on increasing diversity in the advanced manufacturing sector, including transport manufacturing, and will update the select committee once the Task Force has tangible recommendations.
Department for Transport
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15 Recommendation Accepted
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Strengthen accountability for careers advice and subject choice guidance in schools for manufacturing pathways.
The Department for Transport should work with relevant government departments to strengthen accountability for careers advice and subject choices guidance in schools to ensure that pathways to careers in manufacturing are not disadvantaged. (Recommendation, Paragraph 74) Read more
Government Response
The government recognizes the importance of careers guidance in manufacturing and will continue to work closely across departments to ensure strong accountability for careers guidance and visibility of pathways into manufacturing, and DfT will proactively work with other departments to develop careers pathways that reflect the needs of the transport manufacturing sector.
Department for Transport
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16 Recommendation Rejected
5th Report - Engine for growth: se…
Review and support modular apprenticeships for candidates with caring responsibilities in transport manufacturing.
Skills England must undertake a review to ensure that it supports a range of modular or part-time apprenticeships, or other training options in the transport manufacturing sector, to help attract candidates with caring responsibilities or those returning to work from … Read more
Government Response
The government does not plan to impose additional conditions on employers through reporting of training options, believing that employers are responsible for their recruitment decisions and that they have a fundamental responsibility to ensure that their hiring practices provide fair, inclusive, and equitable opportunities for all candidates.
Department for Transport
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Government Response AI assessment · 16 of 10 classified
Accepted 6
Acknowledged 8
Deferred 1
Rejected 1
Total 10 recs + 6 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
5 Nov 2025 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive, Society of Maritime Industries relating to Skills for transport manufacturing, dated 23 October 2025
Parliament page