Helping young people into meaningful work and training is vital for social mobility and economic growth. However, these announcements risk being out of step with the economic reality facing key sectors such as construction.

Right now, construction activity is slowing. Many firms are reducing staffing levels or, in some cases, going into liquidation. This is not a climate of confidence. When businesses are struggling to stay afloat, they are unlikely to take on additional apprentices or recruit NEETs, no matter how strong the government’s rhetoric. Employers need stability and growth before they can commit to expanding their workforce.

Even if employers were willing to take on more apprentices, there is another critical barrier: training capacity. Across the country, Further Education (FE) colleges are turning people away because they simply do not have the resources and capacity to deliver the training required. This is not a new problem; it stems from a decade of underinvestment in FE funding and tutor pay. Without addressing these structural issues, the government’s ambitions for apprenticeships will remain hollow promises.

As a global skills charity, NOCN Group sees first-hand how apprenticeships cannot exist in isolation. They require a functioning ecosystem: employers with confidence to hire, colleges and independent training providers with capacity to train, and policies that support long-term economic growth. Announcements alone will not create jobs or training places, what is needed is a coherent strategy that tackles the root causes of the problem.

First, we need policies that stimulate economic growth and restore confidence in sectors like construction. Public infrastructure projects, housing initiatives, and green energy investment could provide the pipeline of work that encourages employers to take on apprentices. Second, we must urgently address the funding crisis in FE. Colleges as well as independent training providers are the backbone of vocational training, yet they have been underfunded for years. Competitive pay for tutors and sustainable funding models are essential if we are to expand capacity and deliver high-quality training.

Finally, the government must work closely with industry bodies to ensure that apprenticeship schemes align with real-world demand, required occupations and progression pathways. There is little point in creating thousands of apprenticeship opportunities if employers cannot offer placements or if colleges and independent training providers cannot provide the training.

At NOCN Group, we support the principle of expanding apprenticeships and reducing NEET numbers. But without a joined-up approach that prioritises economic growth and invests in the training infrastructure, these announcements risk being little more than headlines. Young people deserve more than promises - they deserve a system that works.