DWP Secretary of State appoints Skills Adviser
An expert adviser has been appointed to support the government's mission to unlock opportunities and drive economic growth through adult skills policy.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has extended the appointment of Praful Nargund as DWP Skills Adviser to December 2026, and updated the Terms of Reference as set out below.
Praful is the founder and director of the Good Growth Foundation, a think tank focused on inclusive economic policies. Previously, he sat on Labour’s Council of Skills Advisors, which worked to better prepare individuals for the workforce.
Established processes for the declaration and management of interests have been followed.
Additional information
Terms of Reference: Praful Nargund
-
Role: Praful Nargund is appointed as the DWP Secretary of State’s Skills Adviser.
-
Duration: The appointment is extended from July 2026 to 31 December 2026.
-
Role specification: The postholder works at the centre of DWP’s skills agenda, supporting the Secretary of State to drive delivery across the department’s priorities for adult skills and youth employment. This includes advising on the delivery of the department’s AI priorities, working with officials to apply technology to labour market interventions and build the department’s long-term capacity to respond to the impact of artificial intelligence on work and employment. It also includes working closely with Ministers, officials and employer partners to drive delivery of the government’s commitment to support 50,000 additional apprenticeships, as part of the department’s broader mission to use the skills system to address the challenge of 1 million young people not in employment, education or training. Across this work, the postholder works closely with Ministers, Special Advisers and officials across relevant government departments, bridging policy, research and implementation.
-
Resources: The postholder is unpaid and will work in the department for a minimum of 2.5 days a week. They will work closely with civil servants across the relevant parts of the department.
-
Governance and ways of working: The postholder will work closely with officials on a confidential basis, having access to relevant official and Ministerial papers. The postholder will report directly to the Secretary of State.
-
Conflicts of interest: A full declaration of interest process has been conducted in the usual way for direct ministerial appointments.
Job Description
The postholder will seek to:
- Work closely with Ministers, officials and employer partners to drive delivery of the government’s commitment to support 50,000 additional apprenticeships, strengthening DWP’s relationships with employers and training providers.
- Support the department’s mission to use the skills system to address the challenge of 1 million young people not in employment, education or training, working across government and with delivery partners to improve outcomes for young people.
- Advising on AI priorities, working with officials to apply technology to labour market interventions and build the department’s long-term capacity to respond to the impact of artificial intelligence on employment.