Tag: Training

National Grid unveils major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training

  • National Grid launches a new £5 million fund to help 5,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training get into work
  • Follows the Prime Minister’s reforms to ensure every young person has a clear route into skilled work and give technical education the respect it deserves
  • Fund will provide practical training, qualifications, mentoring, and skills support, including routes into careers in energy and infrastructure sectors
  • Supports PM’s ambition to rebuild the skilled workforce Britain needs to drive growth, support reindustrialisation and create opportunity across the country

National Grid has unveiled a major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training over the next five years, becoming one of the first major employers to respond to the Prime Minister’s drive to help more young people into work.

The new £5 million ‘Power Within Employability Fund’ will support up to 1,000 young people a year across the UK starting from the first half of next year, helping them develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to access long-term career opportunities, including across the energy and infrastructure sectors.

The announcement comes less than a week after the Prime Minister unveiled plans to put technical education on an equal footing with academic study, ending the outdated disparity between how vocational and academic pathways are treated, and ensuring every young person has a clear route from the classroom into skilled work.

The reforms are designed to rebuild the ladders of opportunity that once helped young people move from school into good local jobs. For too long, practical, and technical skills have been treated as a second class, despite growing demand for skilled workers in sectors that will power Britain’s future – from clean energy and advanced manufacturing to construction, engineering and the infrastructure projects that will help modernise the country.

Under the Prime Minister’s plans, employers, schools, colleges and local leaders will work much more closely together to ensure young people can develop the skills businesses need and access opportunities closer to home. 

Rather than being designed solely in Westminster, these new technical pathways will be shaped around the industries driving growth in local communities and supporting the government’s mission to reindustrialise Britain and create opportunity in every part of the country. 

National Grid’s new fund is one of the first major commitments from an employer to back the Prime Minister’s announcement and it builds on the growing movement of employers supporting young people into work.  

By investing directly in training, qualifications and routes into employment, National Grid will help thousands of young people gain the skills, confidence and experience needed to move into work, while helping address skills shortages in sectors critical to Britain’s future and infrastructure. 

The fund forms part of National Grid’s wider commitment to powering progress and opportunity in the communities it serves, while helping develop the skilled workforce needed to deliver the energy and infrastructure projects the country needs.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Last week, we announced fundamental reforms to the education system to ensure there’s parity between academic and technical routes – giving all young people the chance to a clear path in life. 

“A key part of this is matching employers to young people to ensure they get the skills, technical knowledge and experience they need.  

“National Grid’s announcement is exactly the kind of response we want to see. Not only are they powering our country every day, but they’re putting real energy behind helping thousands of young people gain skills, build confidence and take their first steps into work.  

“We’re determined to fix the youth unemployment crisis and restore opportunity and hope across the country.”

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “Demand for skilled workers in clean energy is growing thanks to our drive for clean power, which has attracted over £100 billion in private investment.

“Young people up and down the country will benefit from 400,000 extra clean energy jobs by the end of the decade, and we’re working closely with companies like National Grid to make sure people are trained up and taking advantage of these opportunities.”

Zoë Yujnovich, Chief Executive, National Grid, said: “I agree with the Prime Minister that too many young people are being left behind, unable to access the opportunities, skills and support they need to fulfil their potential.

“That’s why National Grid is launching a new £5 million fund to help around 5,000 young people not in education or work, to develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to build long-term careers.

“As the UK invests in the infrastructure needed for a more secure, more resilient and cleaner energy future, we will help thousands of young people build confidence, gain qualifications and take meaningful steps towards employment.

“By working with expert delivery partners, colleges and employers, we can shape pathways into rewarding careers while helping to strengthen the communities we serve.”

The programme will be delivered through specialist employment and skills partners, helping connect young people to opportunities across the UK and ensuring support is matched up with local needs.

The fund will invest in practical training, employability skills and qualifications to help participants overcome barriers to employment and build long-term careers.

National Grid’s £5 million fund will help participants access a range of support tailored to the needs of young people furthest from the labour market, including:

  • Practical support to access work, including help to gain a driving licence where transport is a barrier to employment opportunities.
  • Industry-recognised qualifications and accreditations, including Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards and other qualifications needed to access jobs across the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors.
  • Dedicated employability coaching and mentoring, providing one-to-one support to help young people build confidence, identify career goals and prepare for the workplace.
  • Job readiness and life skills training, including CV writing, interview preparation, communication skills, workplace behaviours and other support designed to help young people succeed in employment.
  • Direct links to employers and job opportunities across National Grid, its suppliers and the wider energy and infrastructure sector, creating clear pathways from training into work.
  • Access to real employment opportunities, including with National Grid and its UK supplier network.

National Grid’s commitment shows the difference employers can make when they work alongside local communities to create new opportunities for young people. Many businesses already play an important role in expanding opportunities for young people to get into work, but the Prime Minister has been clear that more needs to be done across the board to ensure every young person has a clear route from the classroom into a good job. 

The government will continue working with employers, mayors and local leaders across the country to expand work experience, skills support and routes into work, and better connect young people to the industries driving growth in every part of the country. The reforms announced last week are the first step in rebuilding the ladders of opportunity and ensuring more young people can access the good jobs being created in their own communities.

Whether that’s advanced manufacturing in the North West, clean energy on the east coast, life sciences in the Midlands or creative industries in our cities, the Prime Minister’s reforms will help prepare young people for the future being built around them. As we reindustrialise our regions, new vocational and technical pathways will ensure growing local industries have the skilled workforce they need to succeed, strengthening local economies and helping make working people better off.

Husband and wife team make history at Seagull Trust Cruises Ratho

For the first time since Seagull Trust Cruises was founded in 1978, a husband and wife have both qualified as skippers at the same branch at the same time!

Rebecca and John Barr, from Colinton, joined the Ratho branch after retiring from their careers — Rebecca as a social worker, John as a physicist in academia and industry. Rebecca joined the Wednesday crew in June 2022, with John following in March 2024 as part of the Friday crew.

Since then, the couple have progressed side by side through every stage of training, moving from trained crew members to helmsmen, and finally to fully qualified skippers last month.

“What a fantastic achievement,” said Carole McLellan, Chair of the Ratho branch. “I’m sure that some of that drive to achieve was due to a wee bit of healthy competition between Rebecca and John.”

That friendly rivalry sharpened after both completed their Locks and Tunnels module in May. Rebecca earned her Helmsman Certificate first, with John following three weeks later — though the two certificates are numbered consecutively. From there, the race was on to become a qualified Skipper.

Rebecca qualified on 17 June, with John following just six days later. Rebecca then took on her first assignment as a qualified Skipper on 8 July, with John following two days after that.

July holds extra significance for the couple: alongside their joint achievement, it also marks their 44th wedding anniversary on 17 July. Congratulations!

All Seagull Trust Cruises skippers hold at least the Royal Yachting Association’s Inland Waterways Helmsman’s Certificate, with some crew members holding Master Mariner Certificates of Competence. Training is delivered through the RYA scheme at Ratho, one of the charity’s RYA-recognised Inland Waters Training Centres, alongside its Falkirk and Kirkintilloch branches.

DWP ‘puts disabled people first’: Thousands of health staff complete landmark autism and learning disabilities training

Training tackles harmful assumptions about disability and ensures staff make practical, meaningful adjustments for the people they serve

  • Thousands of DWP healthcare professionals completed Oliver McGowan training to better support autistic people and those with learning disabilities as they navigate the benefits system.
  • Marking Autism Awareness Month, the milestone forms part of the Government’s broader commitment to putting disabled people at its heart.  

Over 4,000 DWP healthcare professionals have completed part of training designed to transform how the government supports autistic people and those with learning disabilities, as Autism Awareness Month draws to a close.

The training is named after Oliver McGowan, a young man with autism and a learning disability who died in 2016 after being given antipsychotic medication against his and his family’s wishes. It was established following a campaign by his family to ensure that staff working with autistic people and those with learning disabilities have the knowledge and skills to support them safely.

The accomplishment is a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to putting disabled people at the heart of everything it does.

The training tackles “diagnostic overshadowing” – where symptoms are wrongly attributed to a person’s disability rather than investigated properly – ensuring people receive the right support at the right time.

It also gives staff practical tools to make meaningful reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities and autism as they navigate the benefits system. These include:

  • More time in assessments, reducing anxiety and allowing people to communicate clearly and confidently.
  • Simpler, clearer communications from Jobcentres, making information accessible to people who may find complex language difficult to process.
  • Sensory-aware Jobcentre environments, ensuring spaces feel safe and manageable for people who may find busy or loud environments overwhelming.

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, said: Oliver McGowan’s story is a powerful reminder of why services must understand the people they serve.

“This training is part of how we achieve that, equipping our staff to treat every autistic person and everyone with a learning disability as an individual, and to provide support that genuinely works for them.

“We’re determined to break down barriers for disabled people, and to put autistic people and those with learning disabilities at the very heart of our decisions and direction.

“I pay tribute to the hard and brave work of the McGowan family in Oliver’s memory.”

This milestone is part of the Government’s wider commitment to ensuring disabled people’s voices and lived experience shape policy. 

The Independent Disability Advisory Panel – ten experts with lived experience of disability and long-term health conditions – have been appointed to advise on the design and delivery of health and disability policy. 

Clinical Author at DWP: “Hearing directly from people with lived experience made this training memorable and practical. It reinforced that autism and learning disability affect people in very different ways, and that taking time to listen- to the individual, and to those who know them best – makes a real difference. 

“These principles are now reflected in the guidance I develop for health professionals carrying out assessments on behalf of across DWP. 

“I believe this training helps support safer, more person-centred assessments and helps us get it right for autistic people and people with a learning disability.”

The training is one part of wider support the Department is investing into better support people with autism. 

Earlier this year, DWP funded Acas to deliver free neurodivergence masterclasses for small and medium-sized employers – with more than 1,800 employer representatives attended, building the knowledge and confidence to recruit and support neurodivergent staff effectively.

Alongside this, the Government also legislated to give benefit claimants the legal right to try work without the immediate risk of losing their benefits – a significant and practical change for neurodivergent people navigating the employment system. 

Separately, an expert academic panel has examined the specific barriers neurodivergent people face in the workplace, with its recommendations under active consideration.

Autism Awareness Month serves as an important moment to reflect on progress, and to reaffirm this Government’s determination to ensure autistic people and those with learning disabilities are supported, heard, and treated with the respect they deserve.

Jon Sparkes, OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability Mencap, said: “Increasing benefit assessors’ understanding of learning disability is an important step towards a more accessible and inclusive benefits system. The training they’ve received has the potential to make a real difference in helping them to communicate more clearly, recognise individual needs and make reasonable adjustments. 

“People with a learning disability need to be properly understood and receive the level of support that’s right for them to navigate the benefits assessment process. 

“This training is already making a difference in health and social care teams, and we hope it will now make another public service more accessible to people with a learning disability so that they can live their lives to the full.”

The Oliver McGowan Training is named after Oliver McGowan, whose death in 2016 was found to be potentially avoidable. His mother Paula McGowan OBE campaigned for it to become law under the Health and Care Act 2022.

Sight Scotland trains Polling Officers to deliver accessible voting for all

Ahead of Scotland’s Parliament elections on 7 May, Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans partner with the Electoral Management Board for Scotland to deliver accessible voting training to all Returning Officers and more than 900 polling staff, ensuring visually impaired voters can cast their vote independently and in secret.

Visually impaired voters face a range of barriers at polling stations, with a lack of staff training and confidence consistently highlighted as a major issue. Voters report that polling station staff do not always know how best to support blind and partially sighted people, leading to inconsistent use of accessible voting aids and uncertainty about the support available.

This is compounded by physical barriers such as poor lighting, unclear signage and challenging layouts, as well as information about candidates and voting procedures not always being provided in accessible formats. Many visually impaired voters are also reluctant to ask for help if it risks compromising the secrecy or independence of their vote.

Working in partnership with the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, Sight Scotland has helped develop a training video for polling station staff, setting out the support they are required to provide to visually impaired voters. Members of Sight Scotland’s Policy Group and rehabilitation team played a central role in shaping the content, ensuring it reflects both lived experience and professional expertise.

Colette Walker, co-chair of Sight Scotland Policy Group, who is visually impaired and took part in the training video, comments: “As the election approaches in two weeks, Sight Scotland and the Electoral Commission are highlighting a major push to ensure every blind and partially sighted person can exercise their democratic right to a private, independent vote.

“Every adult has a democratic right to cast their vote in privacy. By breaking down these long-standing barriers, we are ensuring that visually impaired voters in our communities finally have the same say as everyone else. We hope to see a record turnout of blind and partially sighted voters in two weeks’ time, casting their vote, having their say in politics.”

Sight Scotland Policy Group member, Hussein Patwa, adds: “I was delighted to be involved in producing training videos that will be shown to polling station staff across Scotland before the parliamentary elections on 07 May.

“Featuring myself and other visually impaired people, they demonstrate, in real life, practical examples of the correct sighted guiding technique, how to assist with navigating around the polling station, providing clear explanations to aid with orientation and the procedure to be followed for those who wish the presiding officer to help mark the ballot paper on their behalf.

“I am positive this will make a real difference to visually impaired people’s experience at polling stations, encourage those who haven’t done so before to try voting in person and increase confidence for both voters and polling staff alike.”

Malcolm Burr, Convener of the Electoral Management Board and Returning Officer for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, comments: “Returning Officers and Electoral Registration Officers put in place a range of measures to support voters with visual impairment.

“We want everyone to be able to vote independently and in secret. We have large print ballot papers, magnifiers, additional lighting, tactile voting devices, audio versions of the ballot paper and can help the voter fill in the paper if necessary.

“Members of the visually impaired community told us that a fundamental problem was staff at polling stations did not know how best to support blind and partially sighted voters. The video we have filmed with the help of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans is being used by Returning Officers across Scotland to train their hundreds of polling staff showing how to greet, guide and offer suitable assistance.

“Our polling staff are the public face of the election and the lessons in this video will help them as they prepare to welcome voters with visual impairment into the polling places on 7 May.”

Watch the training video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frVyMRCI2E8

For more information visit sightscotland.org.uk

Supporting parents and carers to work

Thousands of families to gain new opportunities to learn, earn and thrive

As a result of £21 million of new, targeted investment in colleges and skills, families at risk of poverty will receive additional support to train, to help them enter stable, well-paid work or progress in their career.

The Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan includes £9 million for a Raising Income through Skills and Education (RISE) Fund, which will give parents and carers practical help to build new skills – offering training they can fit around family life, along with essential support with childcare, travel, and study costs.

A £2 million Training Access Fund will support working adult learners most at risk of poverty to access skills training, to give them the chance to earn more and build a stable career.

A new £10 million Flexible Workforce Development Fund will aim to incentivise businesses to offer training opportunities to parents earning low incomes in a way that meets employer needs while helping working parents and carers increase their earning potential and progress in their careers.

Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “We are committed to making sure that education and training works for everyone, especially those who need it most, as part of our wider efforts to eradicate poverty in Scotland.

“Every person deserves opportunities to build a better future for themselves and their household. This £21 million package of targeted investment in skills will help remove barriers to training, such as childcare and transport costs, which can too often stand between parents and the skills that they need to get on in work.”

Gavin Donoghue, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland, said: “Colleges are strong community anchors across the country, and the funding pledged kick starts a range of ways that colleges can accelerate and expand programmes that support people to leave poverty.

“The investment into more anti-poverty programmes is welcome recognition of the huge part that colleges play in making people’s lives better.

“Colleges are an opportunity that works, serving learners from some of Scotland’s most deprived communities and are a driving force for social good in every part of the country.”

Jacqui Brasted, Scottish Funding Council Director of Access, Learning and Outcomes, said: “Every child should have the opportunity to flourish. Scotland’s colleges can play a vital role in transforming lives by providing a lasting route out of poverty.

“They offer access to the skills and education needed to support families enter, remain and progress in work. We are delighted to be working with Colleges Scotland to ensure that the welcome funding provided by the Scottish Government is targeted where it is needed most.”

Strong welfare states and sustained economic dynamism can go hand in hand, think tank finds

Challenging the myth that higher social spending is incompatible with economic success, new IPPR Scotland analysis confirms that many European countries with high spending on social protection measures such as benefits, childcare and training, also sustain highly productive, innovative and dynamic economies.  

Researchers found that countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, France, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland spend much more on social protection per person than the UK and Scotland and have also had far superior economic and social outcomes sustained over the long run.  

The UK has had lower GDP per capita throughout this past decade. Scotland’s GDP per capita, meanwhile, has been very close to the UK’s, and well below that of the 10 countries that the researchers focussed on.

This research demonstrates that high spending on social protection does more than just place a safety net for the economically disadvantaged; it helps economies to become more productive. For example:

  • Higher unemployment benefits give people the security and support to retrain, upskill and re-enter the workforce in a job that matches their skills, interests and expertise.  
  • Measures like generous childcare investment enable high employment rates for women.
  • High spending on social protection can also encourage entrepreneurial risk-taking and help facilitate economic change.  

The research shows that high-spending countries also perform well across a range of international indices of competitiveness and innovation. For instance, all the high social spending countries achieve a ranking in the top 25 nations in the 2024 Global Innovation Index, with six appearing in the top 10. Switzerland and Sweden fill the top two places.  

Ahead of this year’s election, IPPR Scotland is urging the Scottish government to take learn from these countries and lead a renewed drive to build a national consensus on economic development. The next government should also examine ways in which spending can shift towards areas such as employability, childcare, and labour market support, that directly address both social and economic objectives.

IPPR Scotland director Stephen Boyd said: “The experience of other countries shows – unambiguously – that it is possible to create a virtuous cycle between high social protection spending and economic dynamism.

“Scotland’s political parties should bear this in mind when developing manifestos and engaging in debate around this year’s election. The next Scottish government can and must build a new policy agenda. By focusing on areas like employability and childcare, we can tackle social challenges and boost the economy at the same time.”

Reacting to the report, Professor Patricia Findlay, Scottish Centre for Employment Research, Strathclyde University, said: “This report is a timely reminder that there are no necessary trade-offs between economic growth and high social protection spending – and the many wider social benefits from the latter.

“The report carefully avoids a suggestion of causation between social spending and economic growth, though a positive causal relationship has some intuitive plausibility. The challenge, of course, is in the transition – what should Scotland do now to move from a vicious circle of low relative social spending and stagnant growth to a more virtuous circle present in other successful economies?

“There is no silver bullet, but the recommendations of investing in collective design of economic strategy, more active labour market policies and, crucially, stronger structures of social partnership and dialogue, would represent important steps towards better longer-term outcomes.”

More school leavers in positive destinations

More than 93% of young people were in work, training or further study nine months after they left school, according to the latest figures.

The proportion in these positive destinations has grown from 85.9% in 2009-10.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “These figures show the proportion of Scotland’s young people achieving positive destinations is almost back to pre-pandemic levels and at a near record high.

“The increase among those in Higher and Further Education is hugely encouraging and testament to the hard work of those young people and the extraordinary support provided by Scotland’s teachers, lecturers and other support staff.

“The gap in positive destinations between young people from our most and least deprived communities has more than halved since 2009-10, but this latest data shows we still have more to do. We also know this cohort of young people faced significant disruption to their education during the pandemic.

“A range of support, including from careers advisers and the Developing the Young Workforce network, is available for young people considering their options after school.

“I am determined to ensure young people can access the right help they need to enable them into a positive destination and this Government will continue to invest in opportunities for young people across Scotland.”

Summary statistics for follow-up leaver destinations, no. 7: 2025 edition – gov.scot

Almost a million young people to benefit from expanded support, new training and work experience opportunities

  • The funding will create 350,000 new workplace opportunities designed to support young people into employment.
  • Hundreds of thousands more young people on Universal Credit to benefit from dedicated support.
  • Guaranteed jobs scheme to roll out in areas with some of the highest need from Spring 2026.

Almost one million young people will benefit from learning or employment opportunities as a result of a major £820 million funding package.

Thanks to the funding, 350,000 new training or workplace opportunities in sectors including construction, health and social care and hospitality will be provided to young people on Universal Credit to help them develop on the job skills, employer networks, and CV and interview coaching – breaking down barriers to employment and ensuring every young person has the chance to reach their potential.

In total, 900,000 young people on Universal Credit and looking for work will also benefit from a dedicated work support session, followed by four additional weeks of intensive support.

They will be referred to one of up to six pathways by their work coach: work, work experience, apprenticeship, wider training, learning or a workplace training programme with a guaranteed interview, designed in partnership with employers.

The investment will provide a springboard to a better future for close to a million young people, giving them the chance to gain crucial skills and support to find a job with long term prospects. 

As part of this training, young people will receive six weeks of training, work experience, and a guaranteed job interview, giving young people their first foot in the door towards meaningful employment, boosting their prospects and supporting a stronger economy as part of our Plan for Change.

55,000 young people also stand to gain from a government-backed guaranteed job, which will begin roll-out from Spring 2026 in areas with some of the highest need in Great Britain. These regions are:

  • Birmingham & Solihull
  • East Midlands
  • Greater Manchester
  • Hertfordshire & Essex
  • Central & East Scotland
  • Southwest & Southeast Wales

More than 1,000 young people are expected to start a job in the first six months alone, with local partners and employers to play a key role in supporting young people as they transition into meaningful employment with fully funded wages and wraparound support for young people.

Alongside this, Youth Hubs – centres where young people can receive vital help to get them back on track – will be expanded to every local area of Great Britain, bringing the total to over 360. This will ensure young people up and down the country can access the lifechanging support Youth Hubs offer, such as CV advice, skills training, mental health support, housing advice, and careers guidance.

There is an expectation that young people will take up the opportunities they are offered, and sanctions to benefits could be applied for those who don’t engage with the offered support without good reason.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, said: “Every young person deserves a fair chance to succeed. When given the right support and opportunities, they will grasp them.

“That’s why we are introducing a range of reforms to help young people take that vital step into the workplace or training and to go on and make something of their lives.

“This funding is a downpayment on young people’s futures and the future of the country, creating real pathways into good jobs and providing work experience, skills training and guaranteed employment.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Too many young people fall out of education unnoticed, crippling their life changes and denting the economy.

“Smarter data and early-warning tools will change that – helping us to spot risks sooner, step in faster, and keep learners on track through our Plan for Change.

“With these ambitious measures, we can break down barriers to opportunity to make sure every young person gets the support they deserve.”

Recent data shows that almost one million young people are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), a 26% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Today’s announcement represents a major intervention to reverse this trend and ensure no young person is left behind.

It builds on a wide range of measures the Government is bringing forward to support young people, including expanded funding for youth trailblazers, and a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn into the barriers preventing the young from accessing work.

Earlier intervention is being prioritised, with a £34 million investment to make it easier to identify young people who need support before they drop out of the system. This includes a new Risk of NEET indicator tool, giving local areas more accurate insights to target support where it’s needed most.

The Government will also invest in further education attendance monitoring and provide targeted support for young people in state-funded alternative provision schools, helping them secure valuable work experience.

To ensure young people transition effectively from school into post-16 education or training, we are working with schools and piloting automatic enrolment with further education providers for young people without a place.

As announced by the Chancellor, the Government has committed to delivering a Jobs Guarantee for 18 to 21-year-olds who have been searching for work whilst in receipt of Universal Credit for 18 months.

The initiative will provide 25 hours/week of fully subsidised six-month paid work to every eligible 18- to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The young people will be paid at the relevant minimum wage and also receive fully funded wrap around support.

The Government is finalising its National Youth Strategy, shaped by insights from over 14,000 young people, that will set out a long-term vision for youth policy across government.

Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, CEO & Founder, Youth Employment UK: “The Youth Guarantee is a hugely important step forward and reflects many of the recommendations we have championed through our work.

“More than 8,000 young people took part in our 2025 Youth Voice Census, and the message was clear: they value work experience, skills development and local support, but too often cannot access it.

“This package – from the Youth Guarantee Gateway and expanded Youth Hubs to additional work experience, SWAPs and apprenticeships – represents the most focused investment in tackling youth unemployment we have seen in many years.

“We particularly welcome the commitment to early support, personalised pathways and strong local partnerships. We look forward to working closely with the government, Mayors, local areas and employers to ensure delivery reaches every young person, especially those facing the highest barriers. Together, we can make this Guarantee a meaningful reality for all.”

Barry Fletcher, CEO at Youth Futures Foundation said: “Youth Futures Foundation welcomes the Government’s focus and investment in tackling the growing, stubborn challenge of youth unemployment and inactivity.

“Today’s measures present an ambitious, comprehensive package to reform the system and support more young people into earning or learning.

“Crucially, reforms like the Jobs Guarantee are grounded in the evidence of what works, especially for marginalised young people. This will be vital to ensure a better future for young people and drive long-term economic prosperity.”

Naomi Clayton, CEO, Institute for Employment Studies, said: “With one in eight young people out of work and not in education and training, and the lasting scarring effects that can have, we’re pleased to see the government’s reforms to support more young people.

“We welcome the dedicated support being introduced through the Youth Guarantee Gateway to help prevent young people becoming long-term unemployed, alongside broader preventative measures to make it easier to identify young people who need support. We also welcome the wraparound support that will be provided to long-term unemployed young people as part of the Jobs Guarantee.

“Supporting young people to access meaningful work experience, training opportunities and good jobs will help secure a brighter future for a generation, their communities and the economy.”

Richard Rigby, Head of UK Government Affairs at The King’s Trust said: “At The King’s Trust, we know that when you match young people’s potential with opportunity, they can transform their own lives. This Youth Guarantee is a crucial step towards unlocking that potential.

“Increasing training and work experience opportunities, alongside a guaranteed job scheme for the long-term unemployed, will help the young people we support in our centres each day to start overcoming the barriers they face, and take their first steps into work.

“If we get this right, we can transform the futures of young people out of work across the UK, and build a healthier, wealthier society.”

Neil Morrison, HR Director at Severn Trent said: “Giving a young person that first opportunity can be game changing, so we’re fully supportive of government’s Youth Guarantee.

“At Severn Trent we’re tackling youth unemployment head on, and we’re giving young people real chances to grow and creating opportunities that unlock potential and true talent. We look forward to working together on this, and the role business can play in giving the next generation the very best start.”

Susannah Hardyman, CEO of Impetus, said: “We are delighted that the Government has chosen to invest in the futures of young people.

“With hundreds of thousands of young people neither earning nor learning, and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds twice as likely to be NEET as their better off peers, this Youth Guarantee is much-needed to ensure everyone aged 16-24 gets the support they need to succeed, whether that’s a work placement, work experience or training.

“Expanding Youth Hubs across the country is a particularly encouraging move, especially as they are a place where young people can access support even if they are not currently claiming Universal Credit.

“As our Blueprint for a Youth Hub research found, a culture of hospitality enables Youth Hubs to be an easy front door for young people to start accessing the opportunities they need for a fulfilling life.”

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Executive, said: “There is a moral and economic imperative for government and businesses to work together to support more young people into training and work.

“These announcements will allow more young people to gain the vital experience that only work can provide.”

Dr Emily Andrews, Director of Policy and Research at the Learning and Work Institute, said: “With nearly one million young people neither earning nor learning, we welcome today’s announcements to tackle the current waste of potential and boost our future workforce.

“Building on our long-standing call for a Youth Guarantee, we are pleased to see a more comprehensive offer developing, with a range of new opportunities for young people to access experience and training in the workplace.

“Crucially, the national system-level offer is being balanced by more place-based approaches, including Trailblazers and the continued expansion of youth hubs to reach young people outside the benefits system.

“We will continue to work with partners on the delivery and implementation of this package at a national, regional and local level, to make the most of these opportunities.”

Debbie Cook, EFL’s Director of Community said: “From employment, mentoring and education programmes to sport and wellbeing initiatives, EFL Football Clubs and their charities are deeply embedded in their communities, empowering young people to unlock their potential and thrive.

“Through the Youth Guarantee, we look forward to maximising opportunities for young people via new employment hubs in EFL communities, ensuring they can access guaranteed pathways into work, training, and skills development.”

Patrick Milnes, Head of People and Work Policy, at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The number of young people who are not in education, employment or training is at its highest level for a decade.

“BCC research also shows that 75% of businesses are struggling to recruit skilled workers, so it is good to see the government taking action with an ambitious plan to get young people into work.

“Expanding Youth Hubs and investing in the Jobs Guarantee will help young people gain the skills and experience needed to succeed in the workplace. Our network of 51 Chambers of Commerce across the UK stands ready to help government deliver the Youth Guarantee in full.

“Ensuing young people can access fulfilling careers and businesses can find the talent they need are vital to unlocking growth.”

Tracey Collins, Director of Emerging Talent and Social Impact at Kier, said: “At Kier, we are committed to providing opportunities for young people and bring emerging talent into construction through hundreds of work experience and apprenticeship positions every year.

“It’s important that these opportunities are open to everyone, regardless of background or history, as every young person deserves the chance to flourish.

“To support this, we are delivering a number of initiatives to make Kier accessible to underrepresented groups including a pilot project with the Youth Futures Foundation as well as through our Kierriculum schools’ engagement programme.

“We believe that the Youth Guarantee will further strengthen this activity and we are proud to support the government’s work to collectively reduce long-term youth unemployment and help them reach a better future.”

  • The targeted support for young people at particular risk of becoming NEET to secure work experience will focus on pupils in state-funded Alternative Provision settings.
  • Alternative Provision refers to education provided outside mainstream or special schools for children who cannot attend a regular school—often due to exclusion, health needs, or other circumstances

£18 million for Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund

Extra support for North Sea workers

Thousands more North Sea workers will be able to access tailored support to help them transition into jobs in the sustainable energy sector – thanks to an £18 million boost in funding.

The Scottish Government will invest a total of £9 million over the next three years to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, matched by £9 million from the UK Government, to help oil and gas workers access careers advice and funding for training to enable them to move into roles in sustainable energy industries.

Launched as a pilot programme in June, in response to demand from oil and gas workers, the scheme has received a total of £1.39 million funding to date, with at least 300 workers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire set to be supported in this financial year.

The additional government funding will allow thousands of additional workers to be supported by 2029. Both Governments will now work with trade unions and industry to develop and promote the scheme and explore opportunities for additional private investment.

More than £120 million has already been invested by the Scottish Government in the North East through the Just Transition Fund and the Energy Transition Fund to support the region’s transition to net zero. This funding has helped create green jobs, support innovation, and secured the highly skilled workforce of the future.

Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland’s innovation, expertise and vast renewable energy resources will not only benefit the planet – but deliver new economic opportunities and new jobs for households and communities across the country.  

“This continued and expanded funding to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support more offshore workers to take on different roles across the sustainable energy sector over the next three years – helping to deliver a fair and managed transition to the sector.

“We will continue to explore how best to support Scotland’s energy skills transition, working closely with the UK Government on options like guaranteed interview schemes, redeployment pools and skills passporting.”

UK Government Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Communities across Scotland have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs. The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call – and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen and places Scotland at the very heart of the clean energy revolution this government is delivering. 

“Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job. Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy a generation of young people in Scotland can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders. 

“This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union, agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.” 

All future Scottish Government funding remains dependent on the upcoming 2026/27 Scottish Budget, Scottish Spending Review and future annual Scottish Budget.

The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund is aimed at individuals who are currently working (or have worked in the last two years) in the oil and gas industry.

Further information regarding the pilot can be found here: Home

Football clubs partner with UK Government to help young people into work in England

Thousands more young people are to receive life-changing support into work or training – with football clubs across England signing up to help the Westminster Government in their mission to ensure every 18-to-21-year-old has the chance to earn or learn

  • Every Premier League Football Club Charity now in talks with DWP to support the Youth Guarantee – helping more young people get into work or training.
  • Youth Hub scheme to double to over 200 locations, giving more young people access to employment, skills and wellbeing support at football clubs, libraries and community centres closer to home.
  • EFL in the Community, the charitable arm of the English Football League (EFL), and Rugby Football League confirm new partnerships, harnessing the power of sport to champion young people and break down barriers to opportunities as part of the Plan for Change.

Thousands more young people are to receive life-changing support into work or training – with football clubs across England signing up to help the Westminster Government in their mission to ensure every 18-to-21-year-old has the chance to earn or learn.

The Government’s highly successful Youth Hubs – which are hosted by sports clubs and other community venues in England, Scotland and Wales – will almost double in number thanks to £25 million investment announced today.

The funding was announced as it was revealed that every Premier League club charity in England is now discussing with Government how they can help get young people earning or learning, while the EFL in the Community and Rugby Football League have also been confirmed as new partners, supporting the same aim.

This means even more young people across the country are being helped by their local teams, as well as the Government’s other Youth Guarantee partners.

To mark the expansion of the programme and our partnership with the Premier League, Secretary of State Pat McFadden will visit Selhurst Park, home to the Palace for Life Youth Hub and Crystal Palace football club, where he will meet staff and young people benefitting from the service to see first-hand the impact it is having in the community.

Youth Hubs offer personalised, wraparound employment, skills and wellbeing support to young people in the areas of highest need. Thanks to this latest investment they will almost double to over 200 places across England, Scotland and Wales in the next three years.

The Hubs bring support, such as CV and wellbeing advice, directly to young people – taking place in settings right at the heart of the community like sports clubs, libraries and community centres.

With nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training, this expansion is helping to inspire a renewed sense of purpose and ambition in young people as well as breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden, said: “The number of young people not in education, employment or training is unacceptably high, and this government will not stand by while so many are robbed of their potential and our country of its future.

“Through our £25 million expansion of Youth Hubs and partnerships with the Premier League and other key organisations, we’re creating real opportunities for the next generation, ensuring support is targeted to those most in need.

“This investment will support our mission to give every young person the skills and confidence they need to thrive, as we break down barriers to opportunity under our Plan for Change.”

Run in partnership with Jobcentres, Youth Hubs bring Youth Work Coaches together with local partners including charities, councils and employers to provide everything from CV advice to skills training to careers guidance and wellbeing support.

In future, they will also provide access to mental health services, housing and homelessness support.

Erin is one of many young people who have flourished thanks to the government-funded support offered by her local Youth Hub.

Unemployed for two years and struggling with motivation, she visited the Palace for Life Youth Hub. After joining the hospitality programme where she gained valuable experience and confidence, she completed a work placement and was offered a permanent job, marking the start of an exciting new chapter.

The Secretary of State will host a roundtable at Selhurst Park with existing Youth Guarantee partners including the Premier League and Channel 4, as well as new partners such as the EFL in the Community and Rugby Football League.

Clare Sumner, chief policy and social impact officer at the Premier League said: “The Premier League is proud to support the expansion of Youth Hubs so young people, whatever their background, can access the opportunities, support and inspiration they deserve.

“Between 2022 and 2025, the Premier League has invested £1.6 billion into wider football and communities, helping support people of all ages who need it most, and create more chances for young people to learn and grow.

“By working in partnership with Government on the Youth Guarantee, we can build on this foundation and ensure Youth Hubs offer even more opportunities to help young people thrive.

“Together we are showing how football is more than a game, reaching those who need support most, helping them fulfil their potential and strengthening communities nationwide.”

The announcement is the latest example of the UK Government’s work to tackle the rising number of young people not in education, employment, or training.

In August, an additional £45 million was invested to extend funding for eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers across England whilst an extra £100 million will help to train up 40,000 young construction workers as the Government continues to break down barriers to opportunity under the Plan for Change.

It marks another step in the plan to Get Britain Working and raise living standards by modernising Jobcentres, boosting the National Living Wage, and creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill.