“Our mission is connecting people” A Q&A with Sak Awan, Director of Employability and Skills at S Knights

S Knights holds a unique position in the Employability and Skills sector. Across three brands, they cover recruitment, end-point assessment and in-person events, all with the shared mission of connecting people: a mission that has led to a close relationship with the Skilltech Solutions team over the years.  

With so much change taking place in the sector – bringing both opportunities and challenges in its wake – we caught up with Sak Awan, S Knights’ Director of Employability and Skills, to get his perspective on the current landscape. 

Here, Sak shares his take on sector-wide changes, how a new platform could support more joined-up learner journeys, and the importance of a good waistcoat. 

First, tell us about your role and what your day-to-day looks like. 

I’m the Director of Employability and Skills at S Knights, which consists of three brands: S Knights Recruitment, EPA Hub, and Apprenticeship & Skills Conferences. Our overarching mission across all of these is to connect people. S Knights connects people through recruitment, EPA Hub via our job platform, and Apprenticeship & Skills Conferences through in-person events. 
 
My time mostly consists of supporting the team and working closely with our clients. We've got a dedicated team across each of the businesses, and they work closely with organisations: understanding who they need to be connected with and why they need to be connected. Then, depending on what they need, we support them to find the best talent, or guide them to one of our conferences to make connections, or help them to find a new job that’s right for them.    

There’s a lot of change in the industry right now. From your perspective across those brands, what’s the current landscape like? 

That’s a great question. Outside of my day-to-day job, I’m also a non-executive director and trustee for several organisations in the sector, so I get to see the challenges and how people are responding first-hand. 
 
There are a few shifts happening at once. Firstly, There have been changes involving key agencies like Ofsted, Ofqual, ESFA, Skills England and the DfE. Then there’s the devolution of funding, not just within skills but across the employability and adult skills landscape. We are unfortunately seeing a reduction in the funding that’s available for organisations, too. As a result I think some of these challenges feel amplified as they are all happening at once, and with a degree of uncertainty. Trying to make sure that learners aren’t impacted by what we’re facing as a sector is, I think, a challenge. 
 
There are also layers to the changes: some are big, strategic changes and some are smaller and more manageable. Again, it’s the uncertainty that’s the problem. I was speaking to a CEO a couple of months ago who had said, “Sak, we’re in between funding windows, so what are we supposed to do? I’ve got staff here that are fantastic, have been with me for a long time, but I don’t have the funding right now. We’re waiting for the next ones to be announced. Do I make them redundant? Do I try to absorb the cost while still being able to sustain ourselves as a business in the hope that we win something?” The result, sadly, is that we’re seeing more redundancies, even though the talent is still there. It’s frustrating because the uncertainty forces people to make short-term decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make, that possibly aren’t right for their organisations in the long-term. 

It’s not all doom and gloom though. We are seeing growth within organisations, especially around funding streams like apprenticeships, where you have a little more control. But again, we’re still facing big questions around endpoint assessment, and I don’t think communication from a policy perspective has been fantastic. Instead of presenting a full proposal and inviting feedback, information has been drip-fed, which only adds confusion. 

So that uncertainty causes even more knock-on effects for the sector? 

Exactly. When someone’s made redundant through no fault of their own, they might take a stopgap role just to pay the bills – which means when the market picks up, they’re likely to leave. That leads to instability for employers, too. 
 
I’ve seen it myself. Organisations bring in someone brilliant, only to lose them because it was never quite the right fit – they just needed a job at the time. Ultimately, we want well-funded provision and strong, stable teams. But we can’t build that when we’re constantly reacting to short-term funding cycles. 

And what does that uncertainty mean for employers?

Employers are key stakeholders in the employability and skills landscape. But what message are we giving them? “We can help you for 12 months – because that’s how long we’re funded.” Meanwhile, they’re looking for long-term talent and upskilling strategies. How can we respond properly when we don’t even know what will be funded next? 
 
Devolution adds another layer. I understand the principle – local funding for local people – but are we really meeting employer needs? The world is becoming less local. In many fields, remote work is standard. But that doesn’t translate to early-career learners or apprentices. 

Let’s talk about technology. With AI and other innovations coming in fast, how do we protect learners while still embracing progress? 

I’d answer that in two parts. First, AI is great when it’s used to enhance, not replace. At S Knights, we use AI to handle repetitive tasks so our teams can focus on high-value work. 
 
We’re seeing AI being explored for content creation, assessment processes, and more. There needs to be a level of common sense. If something needs human empathy or judgement, keep it human. Don’t over-engineer it to try to emulate human intervention, just keep the human! 
 
Second, I’d say we need to distinguish between AI, automation, and general technology. Sometimes those conversations get blurred. Automation and technology are game-changers: we’ve leaned heavily into them to scale our impact already, and so have a lot of education organisations.  

You mentioned a new platform you’re developing – can you tell us more? 

Yes! We’re creating a platform that connects the dots across provision, a kind of LinkedIn meets Facebook Marketplace for every learner/participant, to be used by providers. The idea is that it Employability and Skills professionals can find and signpost learners/participants through their journey. Making it easier for the learner to see their next steps (rather than falling out of the education, employability and skills journey) and easier for providers to step in and offer support where they are needed and can get funding. 

Let’s call this learner Tommy.  A provider can post that Tommy wants to work in hospitality. A National Careers Service adviser could pick that up, give him guidance, and pass him to an employability provider. Then maybe a bootcamp or apprenticeship provider steps in at the right stage of his journey. 
 
No personal data is shared, just a secure connection between stakeholders. It helps organisations focus on supporting Tommy, not chasing referrals. And Tommy gets a continuous, joined-up journey. 
 
For providers, it improves outcomes, achieve contract targets and commercially beneficial. For taxpayers, it increases the likelihood of sustainable employment. And for Tommy, it’s meaningful support, not a stop-start experience. 

So how does S Knights work with Skilltech Solutions? 

It’s a multi-faceted relationship. First and foremost, we’re people-people, and we love working with the Skilltech team. They “get it.” They believe we can go further, faster, together. 
 
They’ve been a constant presence at our apprenticeship and skills conferences, always exhibiting, sponsoring, and engaging with the community. They live out our shared mission of connecting people. Feedback from their customers on epaPRO is always fantastic, and their new platform Accolade brings everything together in one place for general awarding, too, which is exciting. 

If you could change one thing about the sector overnight, what would it be?

Can I be greedy and have three!? If I can, they are, firstly, a platform to connect employability and skills, so learners like Tommy can move through a joined-up, meaningful journey. Secondly, policy and funding stability, so providers can plan strategically and make long-term impact. Thirdly, a mindset shift around talent – understanding the value that great people bring. Good recruitment is an investment, not a cost. In such a standardised sector, your people are your competitive edge. 

Finally, what’s the one thing you can’t get through a workday without?

My waistcoat! It’s my uniform. When I put it on, I know it’s game time – it’s time to support, to lead, to change lives. I’ve got more than 15 waistcoats, and every one of my suits is a three-piece. I’m planning to treat myself to a full tailored suit for my 40th!  

If you enjoyed reading about Sak’s work at S Knights, you can find out more about the organisation by visiting the S Knights website. 

Like Sak and the S Knights team, Skilltech Solutions are committed to connecting the dots in the assessment and awarding process, creating streamlined workflows that protect learners and make life easier for organisations. To see our software in action, book a demo for epaPRO or Accolade with our team: