Promotional material

'It all starts with skills' campaign introduction and background

Updated 28 December 2023

Applies to England

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The Department for Education’s Skills for Life campaign ‘It all starts with skills’ invites young people, adults and businesses to make the most of their potential by engaging in a range of government skills and technical education offers.

Whether they’re growing a business, switching careers or just starting out, ‘It all starts with skills’ aims to motivate people to explore their options, make informed choices, and gain the skills and qualifications they need to progress. Ultimately giving businesses the skilled workforce they need for the economy to thrive.

Inspiring action, the campaign promotes a range of priority skills programmes, such as:

  • apprenticeships
  • T Levels
  • Skills Bootcamps
  • Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs)
  • Free Courses for Jobs
  • Multiply
  • essential skills (English, maths and digital)
  • support and advice from the National Careers Service

The campaign directs people to Skills for Careers, a new website where they can access information about skills training options and careers.

Target Audience

The campaign aims to speak to people in specific circumstances.

Young people 14 to 19

For young people aged 14 to 19 (and their parents and teachers) who are just getting started and potentially feeling overwhelmed about making decisions about their future for the first time.

The campaign aims to help them find out more about different skills and training options available and where those choices can lead. It gives them the tools they need to make an informed decision about their future.

Employers who want to grow their business

The campaign aims to help them find out about government skills and training programmes that can help them recruit new talent or upskill the talent they currently have.

Adults

For adults who want to change careers, upskill in their current role or need new skills to keep up with the labour market.

The campaign aims to help them learn about the options available to help them progress in their current role, get a job they want or to help them build confidence for their next steps.

Key Insight

The campaign is built on the idea that skills can help everybody and every business to realise their full potential, but unless you seize the moment and do something about it now, that potential may never be realised. We are encouraging people to make one day, today.

Campaign Structure

The campaign has 2 key layers.

Brand layer

The brand layer, which is called ‘motivate’ that showcases the benefits of skills and qualifications as a whole. Encouraging all audiences to use those skills and qualifications to act on their potential.

Product specific layers

The product specific layers, split into ‘explore’, and ‘nudge’ phases:

  • demonstrate the specific benefits of products for specific audiences
  • inspire audiences to start their skills journey

Products featured include:

  • apprenticeships
  • T Levels
  • Skills Bootcamps
  • Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs)
  • Free Courses for Jobs
  • Multiply
  • essential skills (English, maths and digital)
  • support and advice from the National Careers Service

Information about these options and more can be found on the Skills for Careers website.

Supporting the campaign

You can support the campaign by:

  • Encouraging young people, adults and businesses to understand all the choices on offer by directing them to our new Skills for Careers website
  • Using the materials in this toolkit in your own communications to build awareness of the campaign and the education, training choices and support on offer
  • Using the #SkillsForLife and #ItAllStartsWithSkills hashtags in your social posts and online media

You can also share and like the social media content from:

DfE’s mainstream social media channels

DfE’s employer social media channels

The National Careers Service

Case studies

We want to hear from employers or learners who are already benefitting from government skills or technical education programmes and could inspire others.

Complete the employers stories form to share their stories.

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