Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has unveiled proposals to reshape technical education and youth training to better align with labour market needs, as Britain seeks to tackle rising youth unemployment and prepare young people for an AI-driven economy.

Britain has faced a worsening youth employment crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than one million people aged 16 to 24 classified as not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The proportion of NEETs among 18 to 24years old now stands at 15.8%, more than three times the rate in the Netherlands, a country frequently cited as a model for education and employment reform.

Writing in The Times, Burnham said rapid advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping the labour market by changing the nature of work, increasing demand for technical skills and creating new opportunities across traditional industries.

He argued that Britain has placed too much emphasis on university education as the primary route to success and called for a stronger focus on technical and vocational pathways.

Under his proposed reforms, pupils in England would study core subjects, including English, mathematics and science, alongside technical qualifications, work experience and employer-led projects.

Regional authorities, schools, colleges and businesses would work together to design training programmes tailored to local labour market needs, with a nationwide rollout envisaged from 2028.

The proposals build on a government-commissioned review published in May, which warned that Britain risked creating a “lost generation” of young people without stronger employment support.

Burnham’s proposals also complement broader efforts to strengthen technical education, including the introduction of T-level qualifications, apprenticeship reforms and initiatives to deepen collaboration between employers and education providers.

Burnham said equipping young people with practical and technical skills would help ensure Britain’s workforce remains competitive as artificial intelligence continues to transform the global economy. (Arise News)

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