There has been increasing discussion about the modularization of skills, knowledge, behaviors and experience within professions.
Essentially, this means structuring the content of a practice into defined units that support progression, taking new entrants to a level of competence from which they can continue to develop.
The economic case for modularization is clear. A more flexible and structured approach to skills development can help drive growth, improve productivity and strengthen the UK’s competitiveness.
The Labor government has introduced “apprenticeship units”, positioning them as a modular approach to new workforce entrants undertaking apprenticeships, with funding drawn through the Apprenticeship Levy. However, with the development of the first set of practice units, important questions are arising about their purpose and the practical role they can play within the system. What are these units really designed to achieve and how should they be used? A clear understatement of purpose is essential if we are to design units that truly support professions, meet the needs of employers and deliver meaningful results.
Let’s step back and consider the landscape we’re operating in today, and how radically it’s likely to change over the next five years. Artificial intelligence, climate transition and the evolving demands of a circular economy are already reshaping jobs and skills at pace. In this context, fixed one- or two-year courses – be they modern apprenticeships or traditional qualifications – are increasingly misaligned with what the economy needs.
They are unlikely to deliver the growth and productivity gains required, nor will they be sufficient to support people in sustainable employment. More importantly, they do not reflect the reality that individuals will need to regularly improve and adapt throughout their working lives, not just early in their careers.
So what must modularization achieve if we are to build a workforce that is competent, adaptable and highly productive? I see some essential goals:
Keeping the workforce up to date
Over the next five years, the pace of change in technology, green skills, ways of working and tools used across industries will only accelerate. As a result, someone undertaking an apprenticeship or vocational qualification today risks going out of date much sooner than in the past.
This reality calls for a shift towards continuous, modularized upskilling that is more akin to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) rather than training alone. In some sectors, this will also need to be linked to periodic re-accreditation or a renewed license to practise. Since requirements will vary greatly by sector and occupation, modular systems must be flexible enough to keep skills current and employees productive.
Upskilling the partially skilled
In many employment sectors, there are individuals with some, but not all, of the skills necessary for full professional competence. Modular units provide a structured and accredited way of completing these skills. Done well, this enables faster progress toward full competency and helps increase overall workforce productivity.
Supporting the transition between industries
As the economy evolves, more people will need to move between sectors. Those in industries such as oil and gas often have highly transferable core skills but require targeted ‘top-up’ learning to move into areas such as renewables. Modularization provides a practical, efficient bridge, allowing existing capabilities to be recognized and built upon, rather than starting from scratch.
Flexibility in achieving competence
Modular approaches enable individuals to develop skills over time periods that best reflect their circumstances, rather than being constrained by the fixed duration of traditional practices. This flexibility benefits both learners and employers, making skills development more adaptable to real-world needs.
Enabling advancement and specialization
Once core competencies are established, individuals increasingly need further opportunities to deepen or specialize their expertise – whether for career advancement or to meet evolving business needs. Modular units can support this progression, from advanced technical development to specific specializations, such as an engineer focusing on renewable systems, or a clinician moving into a specific field.
Internationally recognized standards
International experience shows that, in many cases, the existing skills of the workforce can be significantly increased by aligning with higher, globally recognized standards. Modularization can support this by making it easier to gradually raise skill levels without requiring complete retraining.
The real challenge – and opportunity – lies in how these new modules or practice units are designed for each profession.
In practice, this will require a structured mix of common units that apply to a sector or family of occupations, alongside stable core skills that underpin professional competence and remain broadly stable over time. It must also accommodate evolving core skills that need regular updating in response to technological and market change – as well as new skills shaped by ongoing developments such as AI and the shift to green industries.
The government has made an important start with the first group of practice units. However, to realize the full benefits of modularisation, industries will need to take a much more active role in developing a clear, sector-specific vision of how modular learning should work in practice.
