A recent analysis reveals a significant decline in the number of apprenticeships started by individuals under the age of 19 during the last seven years of Conservative governance. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) reported a 26% drop in apprenticeship starts for under 19s and a 15% decrease for 19-24-year-olds from 2017 to 2024. Additionally, achievement rates saw a decline of 44% for under 19s and 31% for 19-24-year-olds during the same period.
Furthermore, TUC’s separate study indicated that in 2022/23, 14.8% of 16-18-year-olds who transitioned from school or college to work, further education, or training did not complete or continue their chosen path, up from 12.9% in 2017-18. Notably, the dropout rate for young people with special educational needs stood at 25.9%, while those on free school meals experienced a higher rate of 26.8%.
TUC emphasized that these statistics reflect a broader trend of missed opportunities for young individuals under the Conservative government’s 14-year tenure. The union collective stressed the urgent need for apprenticeship reforms. In contrast, the Labour Party’s youth guarantee initiative was commended for marking a departure from the ineffective Tory era, as highlighted by Keir Starmer at the party’s conference in September.
Moreover, the government introduced a new growth and skills levy to replace the existing apprenticeship levy, incorporating foundation apprenticeships and allowing funding for shorter apprenticeship programs. The TUC urged policymakers to expand the reach of the new levy beyond the current 2% of employers to encourage more investment in training and apprentice recruitment, ultimately aiding both the workforce and combatting youth unemployment.
TUC’s General Secretary, Paul Nowak, criticized the previous Tory administration for neglecting young people’s futures, resulting in nearly one million young individuals being disconnected from work, education, and training. Nowak praised Labour’s efforts to reverse this trend but stressed the necessity for further apprenticeship reforms to provide valuable work experience and combat rising rates of worklessness effectively.