Across the UK, FE providers are entering 2025/26 with the same message echoed at the recent FEPN and AoC Conferences: “We need to grow, but resources are limited”. Providers are striving to deliver high-quality learning across multiple priority growth areas, yet staff shortages are making it harder than ever to keep up with demand and in some cases, providers are having to delay, reduce or cancel courses entirely.
Is your Assessor availability reducing or slowing down course assessments?
Sector commentary at AoC summarised the challenge clearly: providers are struggling to deliver courses in three critical areas: Health and Social Care – demand is rocketing and providers can’t recruit assessors at the pace needed; Digital and Technologies – despite national skills priorities, many FE providers lack the specialist staff required to deliver qualifications consistently; and Professional and Business Services – assessor availability varies significantly, causing disruptions and slowdowns.
Is the pressure on FE teams unsustainable? In conversations we are having, FE leaders frequently raise the same concerns: ‘We have great demand, but no assessors to deliver it’; ‘Assessor recruitment takes months, and we don’t always find the right people’; ‘Assessors are stretched and we are worried about burnout’; ‘We’re turning learners away because we physically cannot assess them.’
The challenge isn’t just recruitment; it’s retention, training, leave cover and internal workload. Providers know they could grow their student base, but operational capacity is holding them back. And yet, demand from local employers and regional skills bodies continues to rise.
Outsource assessments with flexible, on-demand Assessors
A sustainable way forward that enables flexible, on-demand Assessor capacity is where The Skills Network’s Assessor Service can support FE providers. Our fully managed service provides online marking and feedback, delivered by our network of 220 qualified, sector-experienced, enhanced DBS checked Assessors ready to step in whenever and however you need them.
Grow, offer new qualifications or larger cohorts with assessment services
By outsourcing your assessments, you can expand your curriculum without risk, offering new qualifications or larger cohorts in priority sectors without internal staffing barriers. The Assessor Service frees up internal teams so that your staff can focus on what matters most: high-impact teaching, learner support, employer engagement and curriculum innovation. And, in combination with our AI-driven assessment tool, EQUAL Sigma, our Assessors can provide timely, consistent marking with rigorous quality assurance, protecting funding and course completions.
“Over many years, The Skills Network has helped FE providers deliver more with less strain by providing high-quality, scalable and fully compliant online learning support. Our assessor network is deeply experienced in the subject areas where colleges are currently struggling to recruit, including Health and Social Care, Digital, Technology and Business Services, offering a cost-effective and flexible solution that grows with each provider’s ambitions. As we continue into 2025/26, flexible assessor capacity will be essential in helping FE providers meet skills needs, protect quality and expand provision sustainably.” – Jack McDougall, Head of Business Development, The Skills Network
If you are planning curriculum expansion or seeing increased demand for 2025/26, now is the ideal time to explore how outsourced assessor support can help you stay ahead.
