The Skills and Growth Reforms introduce new ways for employers to upskill and reskill their adult workforce. This article explains key changes including Apprenticeship Units, updates to apprenticeship funding, Skills Bootcamps and national AI skills initiatives, and how employers can use them to tackle skills gaps, plan for AI and green transition, and strengthen workforce capability.

The UK’s apprenticeship and skills system is entering a major period of change. With new Skills and Growth Reforms on the horizon, it’s vital that employers, especially those delivering public services or bidding into the UK public sector, understand what’s coming and how it affects their workforce, social value delivery, and future talent pipeline.

The UK apprenticeship system is undergoing its biggest reform in a decade. From 2026, the Apprenticeship Levy will transition into the Growth and Skills Levy, bringing changes to who apprenticeships are for, what levy funds can be used for, and how training and assessment work in practice. 

In this episode of Let’s Talk Social Value, Jacob shares his personal journey, from a 28-month prison sentence for possession with intent to supply drugs, to founding an organisation that has now supported over 5,000 people into employment. His story reframes the narrative around people with convictions, shifting the focus from stigma to structure, systems, and opportunity. 

How to use UK awareness days to strengthen social value delivery, launching real initiatives, evidencing impact and avoiding tokenistic activity

Social value has moved on. What was once narrative-led and aspirational is now expected to be evidenced, measurable and defensible - particularly under PPN 002. 

In this episode, Helen Longfils of Mitie shares how social value strategy works in practice, from theory of change and inclusive jobs to delivering measurable impact at scale.

Confused by social value, ESG and CSR? Learn the key differences, how they overlap, and which approach matters most if you work with the UK public sector.

In this 5 Minutes With Kathy Walker, Co-Founder and CEO of StartUp Sherpas, she discusses bridging the skills gap between education and employment. She explores paid remote work experience, scalable edtech, and how employer-led challenges build confidence, creativity and real-world work readiness in young people.

Discover how the UK’s apprenticeship overhaul impacts social value commitments in procurement. From levy changes and wage increases to new funding flexibility and shorter apprenticeship options, these reforms have reshaped how businesses integrate apprenticeships into their bids.

Samtaler explains the UK Government’s “Keep Britain Working” review and what it means for employers. Discover the new workplace health expectations, upcoming policy changes, and the actions Strategic Suppliers should take to support workforce wellbeing and future procurement readiness.

Explore how the updated Social Value Model places domestic abuse at the centre of public procurement, and learn what action employers must take.