Major change to apprenticeships as government vows to 'back the next generation'

The government has promised to create 120,000 new training routes for construction workers, engineers, healthcare staff and other trades in England before the next general election.

This is part of a wider effort to increase British workers' skills and cut net migration in the UK.

Sir Keir Starmer's training hike will include an extra 30,000 apprenticeships in the next four years, with a budget of more than £3bn in the current financial year.

She said: "A skilled workforce is the key to steering the economy forward, and today we're backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and achieve and thrive.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government is considering scrapping the two child benefit cap

Ministers considering scrapping two-child benefit cap, education secretary says

"But everyone has a role to play in a thriving economy, and we're taking our responsibility seriously providing more routes into employment, it's now the responsibility of young people to take them."

From January 2026, funding will be shifted away from masters-level apprenticeships to focus on training at lower levels, although support will be maintained for those aged 16-21 and existing apprentices.

Neil O'Brien, the shadow education minister, has criticised this move, saying the "decision to scrap higher apprenticeships will do damage to the public services, particularly the NHS".

He added: "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.

"Bridget Phillipson's decision to axe almost all higher apprenticeships is compounding the damage done by increasing national insurance which is already increasing youth unemployment."

The immigration White Paper published earlier this month set out plans to hike the immigration skills charge by 32% to "upskill the domestic workforce and reduce reliance on migration".

Up to 45,000 of the government's new training places will be funded by this change.

Sarah Yong, director of policy and public affairs at the Youth Futures Foundation said: "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.

"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."

Meanwhile, the Law Society urged the government to continue to fund masters-level apprenticeships for those aged over 21.

They claimed that apprenticeships "play a vital role in promoting social mobility" in the UK.

-SKY NEWS