Skills England launched a survey calling for views on the potential development of skills passports. Skills passports are described as portable, standardised records of an individual’s verified skills, qualifications and experience. Skills England is exploring whether such tools could help individuals showcase their capabilities more effectively, support career navigation and progression, and enable employers to understand skills more clearly across different education, training and work‑based routes. The survey sought views on the potential value of skills passports, user needs and practical implementation considerations.
The survey closed on 17 April 2026.
Our response
IHE supports the development of skills passports as a tool to improve employer understanding of skills, support lifelong and modular learning, and strengthen pathways into and through employment.
A well‑designed skills passport could benefit both employers and individuals by providing a verified, portable and up‑to‑date record of skills gained across education, work‑based learning and continuing professional development. For employers, this could improve confidence in recruitment and workforce planning by making applied skills, competency assessment and CPD more transparent. For individuals, skills passports could support progression into work or further study, act as an alternative entry route alongside traditional qualifications, and improve social mobility by recognising skills gained through non‑traditional pathways.
However, skills passports must balance national consistency with local and sector‑specific flexibility. A nationally recognised framework is essential for trust, portability and interoperability, but it must also be capable of reflecting regional labour market needs, fast‑moving sectors, and employer‑led training. In our response, we highlight the importance of aligning skills passports with the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), enabling credit‑based, modular learning to be accumulated and recognised over time.
We also draw on lessons from previous skills record initiatives, emphasising that skills passports will only succeed if they are genuinely useful, low‑burden and valued by employers. They should complement existing systems rather than duplicate them, remain focused on quality and value rather than compliance, and be owned by the individual.
If designed with these principles in mind, IHE believes that skills passports could play an important supporting role in connecting education, skills and employment, while recognising that they are not a substitute for sustained investment in skills provision itself.
Read our full response using the download link below.