{"id":164181,"date":"2026-07-29T08:20:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T07:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=164181"},"modified":"2026-07-29T11:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T10:47:10","slug":"uk-technical-education-changes-boost-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/hr-skills-news\/uk-technical-education-changes-boost-skills\/164181\/","title":{"rendered":"UK technical education changes to boost skills"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prime minister Andy Burnham will implement changes to the education system<\/a> encouraging 14-year-olds into construction and other technical skills<\/h2>\n

UK technical education will see schools, colleges, mayors, local leaders, and employers collaborate to encourage young people into skilled professions and apprenticeships as much as higher education.<\/p>\n

The details will be given later today alongside the launch of the new technical education routes.<\/p>\n

Young teens will have early access to technical skills<\/h3>\n

Skills will be accessible to young people vie work experience and training working with local employers.<\/p>\n

This will include construction, as the PM says: \u201cWhether you choose construction, coding or classics, you\u2019ll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students will be able to combine their core academic subjects, including English, maths, and science, with a technical education linked to jobs available to them locally, allowing them to get hands-on experience both in the job and in the real world.<\/p>\n

This will build on the success of local initiatives, including the MBacc in Greater Manchester<\/a>, which gave young people skills in engineering, healthcare, and digital technology. Using this model, other regional mayors, local leaders, and educational facilities will create a tailored path for their local industries, growth sectors, and demographic of young people. They will have the freedom to shape the pathways to suit their area and support their local economy.<\/p>\n

The first pathways will roll out next year<\/h3>\n

The government will work with these areas to create the pathways, and the first ones are expected to roll out in September 2028.<\/p>\n

It is expected that with the continuation of the 1.5m housebuilding target, the economic struggle that the construction industry faces, and the skills crisis<\/a>, this move, if successful, will support the industry with fresh workers. However, as it is not completely construction-focused, it remains to be seen to what extent this will help.<\/p>\n

Employers should keep an eye out and see if their local authorities’ pathway can affect them.<\/p>\n

Prime minister Andy Burnham said: \u201cFor 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a fundamental change to the education system, we will introduce new technical education pathways from 14 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cFixing the youth unemployment crisis in Britain will require a major shake-up in how we do things \u2013 and that\u2019s what this government will do. I want to ensure that our education system leaves no dead ends for our young people. The changes we\u2019re announcing today will just be the start of our work to restore opportunity and hope across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below are some comments from industry leaders:<\/p>\n

Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB)<\/strong>: \u201cEducation is about broadening horizons and improving opportunities, the Prime Minister\u2019s decision to offer technical subjects to pupils in conjunction with core subjects does just that.<\/p>\n

“The decision dismantles the antiquated educational hierarchy and aligns us with nations such as Germany, Sweden, France and Britain in the 1960\u2019s, where education serves to inspire and facilitate careers paths.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rico Wojtulewicz, director of policy and market insight:<\/strong> \u201cThe desire to implement this policy by 2028 shows Prime Minister Burnham is determined to tackle the NEET crisis. It is worth noting that changes to health and safety regulations for under 16\u2019s will be needed to ensure there\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0any workplace access barriers.<\/p>\n

“The soft influence of this change cannot be understated, as parents, learners and teachers will begin to view technical education more positively, aligning it with career paths. To further cement this shift in how the UK education system is viewed, we hope to convince Andy Burnham that changing the subject \u2018Design and Technology\u2019 to \u2018Design, Construction and Technology\u2019 would mean children from the age of 11 would start to consider construction, not just buildings, as part of their education pathway.\u201d<\/p>\n

CECA director of policy and public affairs, Ben Goodwin:<\/strong> \u201cCECA strongly welcomes the Prime Minister\u2019s commitment to value the hard hat as much as the graduation cap.<\/p>\n

\u201cHistorically, technical and vocational education in the UK has been treated as a secondary option, despite providing a route into rewarding, highly skilled and well-paid careers that are essential to the country\u2019s economic success.<\/p>\n

\u201cCivil engineering offers opportunities across an exceptionally broad range of highly-skilled and well-paid roles. Giving young people meaningful exposure to these careers from an earlier age will transform perceptions of our sector as they gain valuable real-world experience of the opportunities our sector offers.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, the success of these reforms will depend on their implementation. Industry must be involved from the outset in designing the new pathways, rather than simply being asked to provide placements for courses developed without sufficient employer input.<\/p>\n

\u201cTechnical qualifications must reflect the skills that contractors actually need, while work experience must be meaningful, properly coordinated and practical for businesses of all sizes to provide.<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung people in all parts of the UK should understand that choosing a technical route does not close down their options but can open the door to apprenticeships, further education, professional qualifications and senior positions throughout the sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cSkills policy cannot, however, operate separately from infrastructure policy. Contractors are more able to recruit apprentices, provide placements and invest in training when they have confidence in a stable and visible pipeline of work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Prime Minister is right that Britain should value technical and academic achievement equally. We are committed to working with government, schools, colleges and regional and devolved national leaders to turn that ambition into clear and respected routes into infrastructure careers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders<\/b>: “Vocational and technical roles have long been treated as a career of last resort. Today’s announcement is an important recognition that construction and other skilled trades deserve to be valued every bit as highly as traditional academic routes. If we are serious about tackling youth unemployment and delivering the skilled workforce the country needs, we must give young people clearer pathways into rewarding careers in construction.<\/p>\n

“We particularly welcome the commitment to link technical education more closely to local labour market needs, but builders must not be forgotten in this mix. Builders do not exist in pockets, like manufacturing, but are a nationwide network. Small builders train a large proportion of the construction workforce and have first-hand knowledge of the skills their communities require. Builders must be given a seat at the table as these reforms are developed. They will be instrumental in providing work experience, apprenticeships and employment opportunities, and their expertise will be crucial to ensuring that training meets the needs of both learners and industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

RICS CEO, Justin Young: <\/strong>\u201cAccording to the ONS, youth unemployment stands at\u00a016.4%,<\/a>\u00a0its highest level in eleven years. Giving young people earlier access to high-quality technical learning, meaningful work experience and direct contact with employers is a positive and necessary step that can help reverse this trend over time.<\/p>\n

\u201cSurveyors are central to planning, costing, valuing, constructing and maintaining the homes, workplaces and infrastructure on which every community depends. Yet too many young people reach important education decisions without understanding what surveying is, the breadth of careers it offers, or the routes available to enter the profession. RICS qualifications are globally recognised and open up the world to professionals holding them.<\/p>\n

\u201cProvisional findings from this year\u2019s RICS skills survey tell us that more than half of respondents believe the skills shortage is having a real impact on the profession. Initiatives like this will help to reduce these concerns by improving opportunities to enter the built environment, whether through apprenticeships, further or higher education, or other recognised pathways into surveying.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor these reforms to succeed, schools and colleges will need sustained resources, teachers will need appropriate support, and technical courses must be developed with employers and professional bodies while meeting clear and consistent quality standards. RICS can contribute its expertise in surveying standards, education, careers guidance and professional progression to help turn these pathways into credible routes to a rewarding career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patricia Gardiner, director of sales and marketing at Trade Direct Insurance<\/strong>: \u201cAndy Burnham’s announcement outlining plans to invest in technical qualifications such as construction, alongside core subjects including maths and English, demonstrates a commitment to building skills from the ground up and encouraging more young people to pursue careers in the trades, rather than simply attempting to fill workforce quotas. It’s a welcome step in the right direction, but it still fails to address one of the biggest barriers facing the industry today, which is: a lack of construction work available for apprentices to train on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a long overdue step that will help create career pathways for talented students who don\u2019t wish to pursue further education, but aspire to develop technical skills that will help them learn a trade. For the construction and trades sector, this is welcome, and will hopefully see more young people choosing a life on the tools in coming years. But to truly make the most of this, there needs to be opportunities ready for them to learn on the job.<\/p>\n

“The previous Government’s Construction Skills Mission Board appeared promising on paper, with a \u00a3600 million package that included \u00a320 million to create partnerships between colleges and construction firms, alongside proposals to reduce apprenticeship training from 12 months to eight months. However, delays in launching the scheme meant providers had just three months to prepare, leaving little time to recruit apprentices, establish employer partnerships or put the necessary training frameworks in place. It’s therefore unsurprising that the National Audit Office reported just 74 people had started a new construction apprenticeship in the 2025\/26 academic year, compared with the 1,000 originally forecast.<\/p>\n

“This highlights a wider issue that increasing apprenticeship places alone is not enough, if the industry doesn\u2019t have sufficient work to support trainees. Construction output has recorded its sharpest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by economic uncertainty, rising costs and inflationary pressures following conflict in the Middle East. For many firms already looking to reduce labour costs, taking on apprentices becomes a significant financial risk if workloads are uncertain.<\/p>\n

“At the same time, the Government continues to face challenges in delivering its housing ambitions. Angela Rayner has acknowledged the scale of the task involved in meeting the commitment to build 1.5 million homes by 2029, but without greater construction output there simply aren’t enough active sites for apprentices to gain the practical experience required to complete their training. This creates a cycle where businesses are reluctant to recruit because there isn’t enough work, leaving the industry’s long-term skills shortage unresolved.<\/p>\n

“This represents a major missed opportunity. The UK already faces a significant workforce gap, with more than a third of construction workers expected to retire by 2035. Without a steady pipeline of skilled workers entering the industry, labour shortages are likely to intensify, increasing project costs, driving up prices for consumers and putting further pressure on the Government’s housing and infrastructure ambitions.<\/p>\n

“As the Government looks to accelerate housebuilding, giving regional leaders greater responsibility for aligning skills provision with local demand could play an important role. Those closest to local economies are often best placed to understand where shortages exist and which skills are needed to support priorities such as housing, retrofitting and infrastructure. Redirecting the existing \u00a339 billion affordable housing programme towards an ambition to build more council houses will only succeed if there is a skilled workforce available to deliver those projects. Strengthening links between employers, colleges and local authorities could help ensure investment in skills translates into sustainable careers.<\/p>\n

“It’s also important that the Government closely monitors the progress of these reforms and removes barriers before they undermine their success. A key concern across the industry is that policy has focused heavily on creating apprenticeship starts rather than supporting apprentices through to completion. The introduction of a \u00a32,000 incentive for employers is positive, but financial support alone will not solve the problem if meaningful construction work isn’t available. Investment in skills must be matched by sustained investment in housing and infrastructure projects that create long-term employment opportunities.<\/p>\n

“As the Government pushes ahead with plans to deliver new homes and major infrastructure, expanding the construction workforce has never been more important. However, with construction output continuing to decline, increasing apprenticeship opportunities alone will not be enough. Ensuring there is sufficient work for apprentices to develop their skills and progress into permanent employment will be critical to rebuilding the industry’s capacity and delivering the homes and infrastructure the UK urgently needs.”<\/p>\n

Stephen Teagle, chief executive of partnerships and regeneration at Vistry Group<\/strong>: \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Megan Cox-Chanin, senior channel manager at Mira Showers:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cWe welcome the Prime Minister’s ambition to put technical education on an equal footing with academic routes. For too long, many young people have been unaware of the rewarding careers available in skilled trades such as plumbing and installation.<\/p>\n

“However, inspiring the next generation is only half the challenge. To turn interest into opportunity, businesses, manufacturers, and employers must play their part by providing meaningful work experience, apprenticeships, and clear pathways into the industry \u2013 and government must support to make this practically and financially viable. \u00a0If we want more young people to choose a career in the trades, and to support the industry itself with a talent pipeline, both elements need to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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