While the Pre-18 education sector is heading towards greater simplification, the Post-18 sector looks set for greater complexity.

Is qualification reform the answer to boosting vocational education? Only partly, if at all. Better funding, better paid lecturers, better careers advice and guidance, and a complete re-design of a school accountability framework that focuses primarily on academic exam performance are also needed.

To remain relevant, the Education and Skills sector must adapt not only its delivery methods but also its mindset, embracing new forms of engagement while holding firm to the values that make lifelong learning transformative.