CIMA has welcomed the Skills England Annual Skills Report while urging greater emphasis on business finance skills. It also said the report raised fresh questions about the removal of Level 7 apprenticeships in accounting and finance.
The institute said the government’s broader approach to workforce development should place more weight on management accounting, financial management and professional qualifications as employers adapt to the spread of artificial intelligence across the economy.
CIMA’s intervention adds to the wider debate over how the UK should train workers for an economy shaped by automation, data analysis and changing job roles. While Skills England’s report focused on skills gaps, productivity and labour market change, CIMA argued that technical and digital training alone would not meet employers’ needs.
“We welcome Skills England’s focus on building a more responsive and future-ready skills system. As the UK accelerates towards an AI-enabled economy, there is a clear opportunity to place greater emphasis on the business-critical skills and lifelong learning that underpin effective decision-making, especially in management accounting, financial planning, and performance management,” said Andrew Harding, Chief Executive of CIMA.
CIMA said finance professionals increasingly need to turn data into practical insight, support strategy, maintain financial governance and connect finance teams with technology and operations. It argued that these functions become even more important as companies adopt AI tools without weakening oversight, accountability or trust.
Apprenticeship concern
The institute’s main criticism was the withdrawal of funding for Level 7 apprenticeships in disciplines including accounting and finance. The policy has become a point of contention among employers, training providers and professional groups that see higher-level apprenticeships as an alternative route into skilled work.
“Professional bodies such as CIMA play a critical role in supporting lifelong learning, and helping individuals and businesses adapt through continuous reskilling and upskilling. We stand ready to work in partnership with government, educators, and employers to ensure the workforce is equipped not just for today’s jobs, but for the evolving demands of the future,” Paul Turner, Vice President for the UK and Europe at CIMA, said.
He linked that case for collaboration to concerns about apprenticeship reform, arguing that the skills system risks becoming less accessible if established vocational routes are cut back just as demand for higher-level expertise grows.
“The removal of Level 7 apprenticeships in areas such as accounting and finance – one of the UK’s core business skills – is at odds with the ambition to drive growth, opportunity, and social mobility. These pathways have proven to be a vital route for early-career talent to access high-level professional skills while earning and learning,” Turner said.
The issue reflects a long-running tension in skills policy: whether public funding should focus on lower qualification levels or continue to support advanced training that can lead directly into regulated and professional occupations. For accountancy and finance employers, it also affects recruitment pipelines and the balance of university, workplace and professional learning open to new entrants.
CIMA said the Lifelong Learning Entitlement was a positive step, particularly if it develops into a more flexible system for adult learning. But it wants the framework to extend to professional qualifications and higher-level courses delivered by recognised professional bodies, rather than being limited to more traditional academic options.
Call for partnership
The institute also called for a closer relationship between the government and professional bodies in designing the national skills system. It said those organisations can help deliver work-based learning, short courses and reskilling options while maintaining standards of competence and ethics.
That is particularly important in sectors such as finance, where qualifications often sit between higher education and employment and where professional accreditation still carries significant weight with employers. CIMA argued that a modern training system should build on that existing infrastructure rather than treat it as separate from mainstream skills policy.
“If we are serious about building a dynamic, AI-enabled economy, we must ensure that individuals from all backgrounds have access to advanced training opportunities. Curtailing these routes risks narrowing the talent pipeline at precisely the moment when demand for higher-level skills is increasing,” Turner added.
CIMA’s policy proposals include broader use of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement for professional courses, faster rollout of modular learning and greater flexibility in the Growth and Skills Levy so employers can fund shorter courses and professional qualifications. It also wants Level 7 apprenticeship eligibility reformed to allow access up to age 25.
CIMA, founded in 1919, describes itself as the largest professional body for management accountants and said its members and candidates work in more than 150 countries and territories. It operates within the wider Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, which says it represents 574,000 members, candidates and registrants worldwide.
“If the UK is to realise the full potential of AI and drive long-term, sustainable growth, it must invest not only in technology, but in the human capabilities that ensure it is used effectively. Strengthening business skills, protecting high-quality pathways such as apprenticeships for accounting and finance, and embracing the role of professional bodies will be critical to achieving that ambition,” Turner said.
