The further education (FE) and skills sector has known for months that far less tax-payer money will be available for skills in the future. This means that more training will have to be paid for by those who directly benefit. The government's skills strategy is intended to mark a new era for FE and skills, based upon increased contributions from individuals and employers. In this article, the authors contend that by failing to set out exactly how employers will be made to pay more, the strategy falls short of its goal, and could even place at risk the improved productivity needed to drive growth.