Adult Education Budget

As part of the landmark West Yorkshire Devolution Deal, we are taking over responsibility for the region’s £63 million annual Adult Education Budget from August 2021.

Taking over control of the Adult Education Budget means the Combined Authority will be able to make sure that skills provision in West Yorkshire supports adults to develop the skills they need to enter and stay in work, or enroll in an apprenticeship, traineeship, or other learning and meets the needs of the region’s businesses. 

AEB funding will be used to make learning more inclusive and increase the supply of skills to support key sectors, improve West Yorkshire’s resilience by identifying and delivering the skills needed for the future, and benefit the 380,000 people - or 26% of West Yorkshire’s working age population - who have low or no qualifications.

AEB Strategy

The AEB Strategy has been developed in order to ensure that we are ready to deliver the Adult Education Budget by 1 August 2021.

Read the AEB Strategy

AEB Consultation

A consultation with stakeholders in the adult education sector across West Yorkshire on the AEB Strategy ran from 26 May to 12 July 2020, alongside an extensive consultation on the devolution deal.

In total, 90% of respondents agreed with the AEB’s main priorities, while 82% agreed with the AEB Strategy’s approach to commissioning. The responses fed into the creation of our updated Adult Education Budget Strategy. You can view the final strategy above and read the outcome report and responses to the consultation.

AEB procurement

From October 2020, we have started to procure adult skills and training providers as we take responsibility for the region’s Adult Education Budget. The window for training providers to apply is now open. Find out more information about the invitation to participate and apply by 27 November.

Find more information and apply

AEB supplier information event

In September 2020, over 100 providers attended an AEB supplier information event, which offered the opportunity to find out more about AEB devolution for West Yorkshire, our AEB strategy and provider opportunities, the procurement process, and have questions answered. The recording of this event is available below. Following the event, we issued a Q&A document (updated 10 November 2020) clarifying queries raised during the session.

 

AEB news and updates