The UK government has launched what it called the ‘biggest transformation of apprenticeships in a decade’, with £1 billion in funding to unlock 200,000 new jobs and apprenticeships for young people.
In addition to several new reforms and plans, the program also includes the creation of new apprenticeships in the areas of ‘Installation and maintenance of electric vehicle charging points’ and ‘Installation and maintenance of solar PVs’.
Apprenticeship units are a new training format introduced by the government that are shorter in duration than traditional apprenticeships and designed to fill skills gaps in the most urgent areas.
There are huge skills gaps that are expected to grow in the future without action in both the solar and EV charging industries, as covered by our respective titles Solar energy portal And EV infrastructure news.
The Department for Work and Pensions announced the plans this morning (March 16), which aim to reverse the decline in the number of young people in apprenticeships.
The plan includes:
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A new Youth Jobs Grant that will provide £3,000 to businesses for 18-24 year olds who are long-term unemployed (six months)
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The jobs guarantee will be expanded from 18-21 to 18-24
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A £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for every new employee between the ages of 16 and 24 hired by a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME)
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Further reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy to prioritize young apprentices, with additional funding of £2.5 billion
Commenting on the announcement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Supporting young people is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of this country. We are committed to tackling the rise in youth unemployment by expanding practical routes into work, boosting apprenticeships and giving employers the clarity they need. These reforms support our ambition to create an economy that works for all, closing the skills gap and supporting more young people into meaningful work.”
