The Transport Committee’s latest report on skills in transport manufacturing landed this week, and it’s worth paying attention to if you work anywhere near rail, infrastructure, or the supply chain.
In simple terms, government is finally saying out loud what most of our members already live with every day, skills shortages are no longer a future risk, they’re a present constraint on delivery, growth, and competitiveness.
There’s a lot in the report that industry will at BITA welcome.
Firstly,
- Recognition that transport manufacturing is strategic.
- Acceptance that rail, automotive, aerospace and maritime all share overlapping skills.
- Understanding that SMEs and Tier 2s are being squeezed hardest.
- It’s a clear call for better coordination across departments, not just warm words about strategy.
But there are some real gaps and tensions that BITA and BITA Rail members should be alive to.
First, apprenticeships. Government is pushing hard towards younger entrants and shorter courses. This matters, but many of our members rely on upskilling experienced people already in the business. The removal of funding for Level 7 apprenticeships for over-22s is a real problem for rail and advanced manufacturing, where systems engineering, assurance, project leadership and digital skills don’t appear overnight. The report flags this risk clearly, but government policy hasn’t caught up yet.
Second, flexibility. Levy money still expires, still struggles to reach SMEs, and still can’t be easily used across UK-wide operations. For supply-chain businesses supporting rail and infrastructure projects across regions and borders, that’s not a theoretical issue it’s directly affects training decisions and resilience. The Committee calls this out, but until rules change, members will keep working around the system rather than with it.
Third, standards and assurance. Qualifications and apprenticeship standards are lagging behind technology and practice. Anyone delivering projects knows how fast digital, automation and net zero requirements are moving. Training that’s already out of date before it’s reviewed doesn’t help employers or workers.
Fourth, mobility of skills. The report talks positively about transferable skills and the idea of a competency passport. From a BITA & BITA Rail perspective, this is critical. Our members see skilled people blocked from moving between projects, roles or sectors because the system values paperwork over capability. Until that changes, shortages will persist even where talent exists.
Finally, diversity and perception. There’s strong intent here, and the targets are ambitious. But SMEs will need practical support, not just reporting requirements, if they’re expected to deliver change alongside tight margins and delivery pressure.
For BITA and BITA Rail members, the takeaway is this: government is listening more than it has in the past, but the gap between policy direction and day-to-day reality remains wide. The risk is that reforms designed around headline objectives create unintended consequences for the very businesses expected to deliver rail and transport projects.
This is exactly where SME and Tier 2 voices need to stay loud, coordinated and practical. If we don’t help shape how these reforms land, they’ll be shaped without us.
BITA and BITA Rail needs to keep pushing for policies that reflect how work is actually delivered by supporting Both RIA and The Rail Form so our voices are heard not just how it looks on paper.
