The Government has announced radical skills reforms giving young people opportunity to develop skills in priority areas for the country.
They are set to benefit from 120,000 new training spaces - more skilled brickies and carpenters will soon be trained up as we continue the drive to get Britain working, with landmark reforms that refocus the skills landscape towards young, domestic talent.
The measures, backed by a £3 billion apprenticeship budget, will open up opportunities for young people to succeed in careers the country vitally needs to prosper. More routes into skilled work means more people building affordable homes and more digital experts to push our economy forward. This includes an additional 30,000 apprenticeship starts across this Parliament.
This investment is a critical step in delivering the government’s Plan for Change mission to create a decade of national renewal.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson 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.
“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.
“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.”
To support this:
- Implementing a 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge, which will deliver up to 45,000 additional training places to upskill the domestic workforce and reduce reliance on migration in priority sectors. As announced in the recent Immigration White Paper.
- Refocusing funding away from Level 7 (masters-level) apprenticeships from January 2026, while maintaining support for those aged 16-21 and existing apprentices. This will enable levy funding to be rebalanced towards training at lower levels, where it can have the greatest impact.
- Launched 13 new Level 2 construction courses for adults in non-devolved areas under the Free Courses for Jobs scheme.
In addition to the £3bn apprenticeship budget:
- £14 million of adult skills funding for construction to be devolved to local mayors for next academic year, expected to support up to 5,000 additional adult learners.
- £136 million for Skills Bootcamps across a range of priority sectors in 2025-26, providing training to over 40,000 learners.
- £100 million over four years to expand Construction Skills Bootcamps.
- Ten Technical Excellence Colleges specialising in construction skills, opening in September 2025.
The government is also confirming Board appointments to the new national body for skills, Skills England, which will work with employers and local leaders to shape training policy and delivery.
