The focus from the government on levelling up through skills and training is an important signal for the future of education. It is good news too for the many people who are in a vicious cycle of low pay and low self-esteem, which the pandemic has exacerbated. Colleges across the capital and the country do an incredible job at changing the life chances of the 2.2 million people they support.

But for too long there have been too many barriers to helping people fulfil their potential through getting into and through the skills system. If we are to truly build back better, measures announced - when implemented - must increase upward social mobility at a time when too many feel uncertain about their future.

Research has shown that there has been a long-term decline in the level of adult participation in further education and learning - with evidence of a stark inequality in access to learning. This is the case in those unemployed, but also those in work. Worryingly, progression for those who do access learning is unequal too, with disadvantage students less likely to go on to good jobs with higher levels of earning.

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The package of measures from the government enshrines the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, which will provide the chance for adults without a full level 3 qualification (A-level equivalent) to gain one, unlocking opportunities and future progression. This has been backed up with a commitment to offering loans for flexible learning at all stages of life. The implementation of this is important if we are to address social mobility challenges. People must be able to access it when they need it to support progress at their own pace - a one-size-fits-all approach will not suffice. That may look like using it for an extra funded year to get a T level for those who aren’t quite ready yet or progression on to higher technical qualifications which can unlock employment in areas of high growth. Financial support while training and studying isn’t available currently and must be realised to ensure this opportunity reaches everyone who needs it.

Sizable investment over the coming years is needed to match the ambitions to make a difference. Crucially, this White Paper needs to be backed up by the chancellor in the next Spending Review, and in spending reviews of the future. This is about remedying the long-underinvested sector, but it is also about making targeted funding accessible for disadvantaged students who face more barriers than most. A targeted plan to close attainment gaps in FE must follow, with the even-better data and measurement for disadvantage to track progress and impact.

The package in the Skills for Jobs White Paper is shifting the way that employers interact with the education system too. Through my work on the Social Mobility Commission and as a chair of a college group - Capital City College Group - which has colleges across London, I shine a spotlight on the powerful potential of further education to employers. There are thousands of employers that have strong partnerships with colleges across the capital and across the country. We know that a coordinated outreach plan is critical to building those links. At the Social Mobility Commission, we have been putting this into action with our employers’ programme, engaging with over 585 employers and trade groups to increase socioeconomic diversity and inclusion.

The message from the government is a rallying call to employers that colleges are ready and can be trusted to meet skills needs and increase innovation through expanded business support as the world changes at pace. The government is finally backing what I have been saying for many years: that employers should not be working with just schools and universities in their outreach and efforts, but also further education colleges.

Colleges have shown throughout the pandemic their commitment to the learners and communities they serve. The measures put colleges in the spotlight as a vehicle for recovery and future prosperity.

Alastair da Costa is a commissioner to the UK government’s Social Mobility Commission and chair of the Capital City College Group