Mayor hails success of skills training funded by City Hall

More than 80,000 Londoners found jobs or went on to further studies in the last year, after taking up skills training funded by the Mayor, new data reveals. The Mayor, Sadiq Khan, hailed the contribution that adult learners make to the capital’s economy, with businesses boosted by extra skills and Londoners improving their lives after benefitting from further training.

Twenty percent of businesses in London face challenges finding employees with key skills, including digital skills and essential English and numeracy. Giving Londoners access to industry-relevant skills is essential to helping businesses and the economy to thrive. A tightening labour market and growing unemployment, up to an estimated five per cent in June 2024, means it’s more important than ever to give Londoners the skills they need to access good jobs.

Since the Adult Education Budget (AEB) was devolved to the Mayor in August 2019, City Hall has been responsible for London’s annual £320m budget, funding the majority of further education for Londoners aged 19 and over, excluding apprenticeships. More than one million learners have taken part in skills training since then, helping Londoners improve their lives and giving businesses the skills they need to thrive, including those in sectors key to London’s economy. City Hall funds thousands of courses, from skills needed for green jobs to those needed to secure a role in technology.

The Mayor is also urging Londoners to get involved in his Adult Learning Awards this year, with nominations now open. The Awards celebrate the achievements within London’s thriving further education sector, helping to increase accessibility and awareness of adult learning opportunities in the capital. City Hall will host a prize-giving ceremony in Autumn.