Prime Minister Andy Burnham has today launched new technical educational routes to encourage the learning of skills which will “value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap.”
These new pathways will provide 14-year-olds with valuable early access to technical skills, work experience and connections with local employers. Technical education will be “put on an equal footing with the traditional academic path,” says the government. It will “ensure there are ‘no dead ends’ for young people coming out of the education system.”
In a message directly to students, Burnham said: “Whether you choose construction, coding or classics, you’ll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve.”
From age 14 (Year 10), students will have the chance to combine core academic subjects – including English, maths and science – with a high-quality technical education that’s linked to the jobs available in their area. They will be able to spend time with employers and gain real-world experience.
Building on successful local initiatives, such as the MBacc in Greater Manchester, the new technical routes will mean young people can develop the technical knowledge and skills needed to progress in areas like engineering, healthcare and digital technology, skilling them up with the specific knowledge and capabilities that local employers need.
Regional mayors, local leaders, schools, colleges and employers will work together to shape the new technical education pathways, which can be tailored around local industries and growth sectors, the government added, “to develop the new technical education pathways ahead of an ambition to begin rolling them out from September 2028.”
The changes will be part of the government’s wider programme of devolution – giving local leaders greater influence over education for 14- to 16-year-olds.
The Prime Minister’s Office said: “Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all system designed in Whitehall, the approach will allow areas to shape education around the industries that matter and are growing in their communities. That could include advanced manufacturing, AI, digital and technology, clean energy, life sciences, construction, health and care, or the creative industries, depending on local strengths and where the jobs of the future are being created.”
Measures include the government prioritising funding towards high-quality technical education and practical routes into work, and also changing the way school performance is measured in order to recognise the schools that provide high-quality technical education and support young people to develop the skills, experience and confidence employers want.
The Government will now work together with mayors, local leaders, schools, colleges and employers
The changes announced today are just the first step in the Prime Minister’s plans to tackle the youth unemployment crisis.
Burnham said:“For too long in this country, students have been told that you must take the academic path to do well and to be respected. The whole school system has been built around it and that has let down young people seeking technical qualifications.
“I want an education system based on parity between academic and technical which gives all young people a clear path in life. From today, Britain will value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap.
“In a fundamental change to the education system, we will introduce new technical education pathways from 14 – prestigious routes that will give students the chance to combine the core academic subjects with the skills, technical knowledge and experience they need to get quality, well-paid jobs where they live. My message to young people is this – whether you choose construction, coding or classics, or maths, manufacturing or mechanics, you’ll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve.
“Fixing the youth unemployment crisis in Britain will require a major shake-up in how we do things – and that’s what this government will do. I want to ensure that our education system leaves no dead ends for our young people. The changes we’re announcing today will just be the start of our work to restore opportunity and hope across the country.”
Alan Milburn’s interim report warned that Britain is at risk of a “lost generation”, with over a million 16- to 24-year-olds now not in education, employment or training. His findings painted a stark picture of a system that too often leaves young people leaving school without the skills, experience or connections they need to step into the world of work.
Milburn commented: “The changes the PM is announcing today are very welcome. They are a big step in the right direction and consistent with the findings of my review.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said: “By offering high-quality technical and vocational education alongside academic achievement, we’ll give more young people the chance to leave education with the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to thrive in today’s economy and the careers of the future.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “For too long, young people leaving school, college or university have faced real uncertainty about what awaits them. They’re not short of talent or ambition, but the roles they need to kickstart their careers and build their futures appeared to have dried up. Meanwhile, rapid advances in AI are changing the world of work altogether.
“That’s why I welcome these new plans from the Prime Minister to tackle the root causes of youth unemployment. This is fully aligned with the work we’re already doing in London, including £18m of new funding from City Hall, to help thousands more young Londoners into work and training and to prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Here in West Yorkshire, devolution has emboldened us to make a simple promise to our young people – that no one will leave education without having first set foot in a workplace. Now, these bold measures from the Prime Minister will empower us to go even further.
“By putting technical and academic education on an equal footing, we can help ensure that more of our young people leave school with the skills they need to succeed in life and work.”
Stephen Teagle, chief executive of partnerships and regeneration, Vistry Group, said: “The Prime Minister is absolutely right to radically re-shape the education system to put technical qualifications, such as bricklaying, on an equal footing with academic degrees, and to give regional mayors a strong role in how this is implemented to best suit the needs of their area.
“The housebuilding industry is crying out for the next generation of skilled trades and construction workers to join us, not least as we need at least an additional 1.3 million tradespeople over the next decade so we can continue to deliver the homes that Britain needs. As you would expect, as one of the largest UK housebuilders, we have a vested interest in a competitive construction sector, equipped with a growing pipeline of skilled trades.
“But we also have a moral obligation to ensure that the housebuilding industry creates and sustains a technical and skills legacy, in partnership with government, right across the country to enable the next generation to succeed and prosper.”
