SIR Keir Starmer today set a target for two-thirds of British youngsters to either go to university or take up a gold standard apprenticeship.
The PM took a sledgehammer to Tony Blair‘s flagship goal of sending 50 per cent of youths to university, declaring “I don’t think that’s right for our times”.
PAThe PM today set a target for two-thirds of British youngsters to either go to university or take up a gold standard apprenticeship[/caption]
EPAThe PM said the goal of sending 50 per cent of youngsters to university is no longer fit for purpose[/caption]
Sir Keir also said he wants at least 10 per cent of young people pursuing higher technical education or apprenticeships that the economy needs by 2040.
He accused previous governments of undervaluing non-university routes into work.
Addressing the Labour faithful at party conference in Liverpool, Sir Keir said: “While you will never hear me denigrate the aspiration to go to university, I don’t think the way we currently measure success in education – that ambition to get 50 per cent of kids to uni – I don’t think that’s right for our times.
“Because if you are a kid or a parent of a kid who chooses an apprenticeship, what does it say to you?
“Do we genuinely, as a country – afford them the same respect?
“Today I can announce, we will scrap that target and we will replace it with a new ambition that two thirds of our children should go either to university or take on a gold standard apprenticeship.”
Ministers have vowed to invest nearly £800m extra into funding for 16–19-year-olds next year.
The PM also announced 14 new Technical Excellence Colleges, focused on sectors including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and digital.
A gold standard apprenticeship is a high-quality training programme that combines on-the-job experience with formal learning, designed to meet industry standards.
It is developed in partnership with employers, training providers and professional bodies to ensure apprentices gain the skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed for long-term career success.
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