Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to ensure that communication skills identified as needed for the workplace are recognised in the criteria for the Functional Skills qualifications.

We are reforming Functional Skills to make sure their content addresses the skills that employers have told us they need. Over 500 employers of varying sizes responded to the employer survey or participated in follow-up interviews[1]. These results have been used to reform the content of Functional Skills[2] (published in February this year) so they will deliver what employers require.

Good communication skills was a key skillset identified by employers, especially oral communication. Speaking and listening have always been a key part of the English Functional Skills qualification, but the reformed qualification will include the term ‘communicating’ to recognise that learners, especially those with disabilities, may communicate in different ways.

[1]http://www.pyetait.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Employer-Consultation-final-report2.pdf.

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/functional-skills-subject-content-english.