Lifelong Learning

Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell (Con)]

My Lords, I would like to pick up on two points in this debate: first, the point made very well by the noble Lord, Lord Knight, on how AI is changing the requirements for lifelong learning; and, secondly, how businesses play a hugely important role in lifelong learning.

As others have noted, the skills demanded by the labour market are rapidly changing and the jobs available in the future will be different to the jobs offered in today’s economy. The biggest driver of this change is AI and automation. As the Department for Education noted in its report on this subject in 2023, the jobs at greatest risk are in London and the south-east, with some of the most at-risk professions being management consultants, business analysts, psychologists and legal professionals. Many have yet to fully wake up to the impact that AI will have on the labour market and social norms. The inspiring story of someone in a low-paid service sector role, studying at night school to train as an accountant or lawyer, will fade away. In the future, the story is more likely to be that of a white-collar worker losing their job and retraining to become a bricklayer, plasterer or forklift truck driver. This has huge implications both for the type of lifelong learning required and also for the careers we encourage children to take up at school.

I went to a bookshop at the weekend with my daughters, aged four and seven, to see what careers were recommended by the books on offer. Much to their disappointment, Santa’s helper and dinosaur farmer were not suggested options. One of the books directed the girls towards some of the most at-risk careers as defined by the DfE’s AI report. Another described jobs that were unbelievably niche: professional sleeper, cow massager and sloth nanny. We need to encourage children towards the jobs of the 2040s, not the 1940s, and we need lifelong learning to train people for the careers of the future rather than the careers of the past.

I want to finish on an optimistic note. Shortly before Christmas, I visited a company which owns dozens of restaurants around London and Birmingham. I sat in on a training session for trainee managers, all of whom had begun in entry-level positions. I asked one of the participants what their ambition was, and they said, “To own my own restaurant”. I know they will do it. I came away inspired by the group’s positivity, their drive, their work ethic and their camaraderie. It was the very best of lifelong learning: a fantastic employer, helping people climb up the career ladder to move from trainee, to employee, to team leader, to manager, to owner. The essence of a good society is to make that ladder of opportunity accessible to everyone, and we should thank businesses for the important role they play in lifelong learning. We should also think carefully about careers education in schools. Let us harness the enthusiasm of Santa’s helpers to become toy designers and encourage dinosaur farmers to become vertical farmers. After all, even with AI, there will always be jobs in toys and food.