24 Jun 2026 ● Chris Eccles
Government plans apprenticeship boost as part of new deal for young people
The UK Government has announced plans to expand apprenticeship opportunities for young people as part of a wider package of reforms designed to tackle youth unemployment and move away from what ministers describe as a ‘degree by default’ culture.
The proposals form part of a new deal for young people, which aims to give school leavers and young adults more routes into skilled careers through apprenticeships, technical education and higher-level training.
Under the plans, ministers will shift more skills funding towards apprenticeships for younger people, with a target of creating 50,000 additional apprenticeships before the end of 2029. The move comes after apprenticeship participation among 16 to 24 year olds fell by around 40 per cent over the last ten years.
The Government said too many young people currently feel university is their only option, despite some degree courses offering poor employment outcomes and leaving graduates with significant debt.
Alongside efforts to improve apprenticeship opportunities, ministers are also considering measures to crack down on university courses that consistently fail to deliver strong employment prospects or wage returns for students.
The announcement follows growing concern about youth unemployment across the UK. Recent figures show large numbers of young people are struggling to enter the labour market, while a report by former minister Alan Milburn found that around one in seven young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) already hold a university degree.
The Government said apprenticeships will play a central role in addressing these challenges by providing clearer routes into work and helping young people gain valuable skills while earning a wage.
A record £3.3 billion has been allocated to apprenticeships this year, with funding increasingly focused on supporting younger workers at the start of their careers.
New foundation apprenticeships, available exclusively to young people, are also being expanded into sectors including retail and hospitality. The programmes are designed to provide an accessible first step into employment and help participants progress into long-term careers.
As part of the reforms, Skills England has been asked to review apprenticeship funding rates and consider whether more support should be directed towards standards that are mainly used by younger learners.
The apprenticeship expansion forms part of the Government's wider Youth Guarantee programme, which aims to ensure every young person has the opportunity to earn or learn.
Measures already announced include financial incentives for employers to recruit young people who have been out of work, subsidised job placements and reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy.
Ministers believe the combined package could help create up to 500,000 opportunities for young people over the coming years.
The Government said the reforms are intended to give young people genuine choices about their futures, whether through university, apprenticeships or technical education, while ensuring that all routes offer clear pathways into skilled employment and long-term career progression.
Announcing the opportunities, Bridget Phillipson, the UK’s Secretary of State for Education, said:
“Young people making choices about their future deserve to know that the investment they are making will lead to real opportunities and stable careers. For some that will mean going to university, and we are making this more accessible regardless of background, but for others it will mean technical or vocational routes.”
“By raising standards and cracking down on abuse of student loans we’ll ensure our world-leading universities deliver real value for students and the taxpayer,” added Ms Phillipson.
Pat McFadden, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, also commented, saying:
“The decline in youth apprenticeship starting under the last government has kicked the ladder away from too many young people. We are reversing that and expanding opportunities for young people, by tilting funding towards the apprenticeships which will enable them to access high-quality training and those first jobs on the career ladder.”
“From the autumn we will also be offering small and medium-sized businesses £2,000 for every young apprentice they take on who is under 25 and paying the full training cost, directing money towards where the opportunities are needed most.”
