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The government has announced a new initiative aimed at supporting approximately 50,000 young people by expanding apprenticeship opportunities to combat youth unemployment. This ambitious programme, funded with £725 million over the next three years as outlined in the Budget, seeks to develop apprenticeships across various industries, including artificial intelligence, hospitality, and engineering.
A key feature of the plan is that apprenticeship placements for individuals under 25 at small and medium-sized enterprises will now be fully funded, eliminating the 5% contribution these businesses previously had to make. This move is intended to counteract the significant decline in apprenticeship starts among young people, which has dropped by nearly 40% over the past ten years.
Additionally, £140 million has been allocated for a pilot programme through the Department for Work and Pensions. This scheme will empower local mayors to foster connections between young people and potential apprenticeships, although the precise details of how the funding will be managed remain unclear. From next spring, short courses in fields such as AI, engineering, and digital skills will also be introduced, with collaboration from the defense sector.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to address the new scheme shortly, having emphasized the importance of valuing apprenticeships on par with university degrees. He stated, “For too long, success has been measured by how many young people go to university,” adding that this limited perspective “has held back opportunity and created barriers we need to break.” The government is particularly concerned about the rising number of young people classified as NEET (not in employment, education, or training), which has been increasing since 2021 and now stands at nearly one million.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, speaking on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, highlighted that young people have “not had a good enough deal” in terms of access to housing and jobs. He also discussed plans to move young people off Universal Credit and into employment through an additional £820 million investment. Beginning next April, 55,000 six-month work placements will be launched for individuals who have been on benefits for at least 18 months. These placements, fully subsidized and paid at the legal minimum wage for 25 hours per week, will include training and work support, with opportunities expected to arise in sectors such as construction, health and social care, and hospitality.
Despite the rollout of these initiatives, opposition voices have criticized the government’s approach. Helen Whately, shadow health secretary, claimed the scheme revealed that the Labour party has “no plan for growth, no plan to create real jobs,” indicating political contention around youth employment strategies
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