A NEW body will rebuild England’s “mess” of a skills training system and nurture “home-grown talent,” according to the Prime Minister.

Sir Keir Starmer made the remarks as he launched Skills England, to be led by former Co-operative Group CEO Richard Pennycook, as part of the new Labour government’s efforts to reduce the “skills gap.”

The Department for Education considers the gap to have been responsible for 36 per cent of job vacancies between 2017 and 2022.

The Prime Minister said: “Our skills system is in a mess, which is why we are transforming our approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades.

“They will help to deliver our number one mission as a government, to kick-start economic growth, by opening up new opportunities for young people and enabling British businesses to recruit more home-grown talent.”

UCU general secretary Jo Grady welcomed the move, but warned that recruiting more college teachers would be essential.

“At the moment, colleges face a recruitment crisis because teachers in further education earn £9k less than their counterparts in schools,” she said.

“Reskilling England will therefore require significant investment.”