News story

Find a Future to deliver The Skills Show and Skills Competitions over next 2 years

The Skills Show and Skills Competitions will be delivered by Find a Future in 2015 to 2016 and 2016 to 2017.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Skills Show logo

The Skills Show and Skills Competitions will be delivered by Find a Future in 2015 to 2016 and 2016 to 2017 and BIS is providing £18 million for this over the next 2 years. From April 2015, funding for The Skills Show and Skills Competitions will be routed through the Education and Training Foundation.

This will bring the Skills Show and Skills Competitions closer to the wider activity on professional standards and employer engagement. It means greater opportunities for joint working and delivery across a wide range of partners in education and industry. Also, by routing public funding through the Education and Training Foundation there is a great opportunity to encourage more employer involvement and sector engagement in The Skills Show and Skills Competitions.

Some facts and figures:

  • the Skills Show is organised by Find a Future and has provided inspiring careers and learning opportunities to over 70,000 young people in the last 2 years. To build on this success, Find a Future has been asked to organise the next 2 skills shows in 2015 to 2016 and 2016 to 2017.
  • £18 million of public funding has been set aside by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to fund the shows over the next 2 years. Also, Find a Future will seek to increase the value of commercial sponsorship of shows to supplement public funding and ensure that the event provides deeper insight into the skills and attitudes that employers need to find in young people seeking to join the workforce of tomorrow

Highlights from Skills Show 2013

highlights of Skills Show 2013

And some more facts:

  • Find a Future brings together WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions, The Skills Show and The Skills Show Experience
  • WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions national finals are held at The Skills Show, which has grown year on year since 2012 to establish itself as the nation’s largest skills and careers event, helping to shape the future of a new generation
  • The Skills Show Experience is a nationwide programme of over 220 events that continues to extend the impact of The Skills Show to over 200,000 young people across the country. Supported by the Skills Funding Agency and the European Social Fund, this programme introduces the content delivered at The Skills Show to the rest of the country, linking skills to real opportunities at a local level
  • Find a Future will continue to build on the success of these 3 products working with the Education and Training Foundation, to deliver outstanding careers events and skills competitions that inspire, educate and influence
  • Find a Future will remain an independent organisation, and as a limited company with charitable status, governed by its existing Board of Non-Executive Directors and Trustees

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Skills Funding Agency will remain actively involved in Find a Future’s activities, especially in relation to Apprenticeships and the National Careers Service. Together they will continue to ensure that this successful model helps more young people to know what they are great at and the opportunities available to them, so the UK remains a leader in skills.

Published 14 October 2014