Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has pledged that the Government will provide thousands of new training and apprenticeship opportunities, urging young people to take charge of their futures and help build a more skilled Britain.
Unveiling the plans, Ms Phillipson said the Government was “backing the next generation” by offering practical routes into work across key sectors such as construction, engineering, and healthcare. The announcement is part of a broader push to reduce net migration and bolster the domestic workforce.
Ministers have committed to creating 120,000 new training places in England before the next general election, with a particular focus on trades and technical careers. As part of the package, an estimated 45,000 of these opportunities will be financed through an increase in the immigration skills charge — rising by 32% — which employers must pay to bring in workers from abroad.
“A skilled workforce is the key to steering the economy forward,” Ms Phillipson said. “Today, we’re backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage, and achieve and thrive. When we invest in skills for young people, we invest in a shared, stronger economic future — creating opportunities as part of our plan for change.”
She added, “But everyone has a role to play in a thriving economy, and while we’re taking our responsibility seriously by providing more routes into employment, it’s now the responsibility of young people to take them.”
The initiative includes a significant expansion of apprenticeships, with an extra 30,000 apprenticeship starts promised across the current Parliament. The apprenticeship budget for 2025–26 has been set at over £3 billion — one of the largest allocations to date.
However, the announcement has not come without criticism. From January 2026, funding will be reallocated away from masters-level apprenticeships to concentrate on training at lower levels, although support for those aged 16–21 and existing apprentices will remain.
The move follows the publication of the Government’s immigration White Paper earlier this month, which emphasised reducing reliance on migrant labour by investing in domestic skills.
Sarah Yong, director of policy and public affairs at the Youth Futures Foundation, welcomed the renewed focus on apprenticeships but warned against complacency. “International evidence shows apprenticeships are a highly impactful way to support young people to prepare for and access jobs, yet participation among under-25s, especially the most marginalised, has declined in recent years,” she said.
“With stubbornly high youth unemployment and inactivity, rebalancing the apprenticeship system can encourage investment in youth apprenticeships and is a first step in enabling more young people to access good work.”
The data is concerning: one in eight people aged 16 to 24 in the UK is not in education, employment or training — a statistic that highlights the scale of the challenge facing policymakers.
While the Government aims to reorient apprenticeships towards early-career training, concerns have been raised over the phasing out of funding for higher-level schemes. The Law Society called for continued support of Level 7 solicitor apprenticeships, particularly for those over 21, noting that it remains the only alternative to university for aspiring solicitors.
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Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society, said: “Level 7 solicitor apprenticeships continue to be the only route outside of university to qualify as a solicitor due to specific qualifications set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Apprenticeships play a vital role in promoting social mobility.”
Shadow education minister Neil O’Brien added his voice to the criticism, stating: “The decision to scrap higher apprenticeships will do damage to the public services, particularly the NHS. It will make it impossible for many young people who don’t go to university to enter the professions.
“Numerous employers and professional bodies have warned about the damage scrapping higher apprenticeships will do, which is why this is being snuck out during recess.”
As debate continues, the Government maintains that its restructured apprenticeship programme will unlock potential and provide real opportunities for the next generation to prosper in a changing economy.
