- Portsmouth to benefit from Labour’s radical skills reforms to deliver economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity for young people.
- Up to £3 million confirmed for Skills Bootcamps in the region, boosting skills opportunities for Portsmouth workers as Labour weans UK businesses off migrant labour as part of Plan for Change.
- Comes as new data finds 1,770 more apprentices in the South East will qualify per year thanks to Labour’s reform of English and maths requirements for adult apprentices.
Young people in Portsmouth are among those set to benefit from the 120,000 new training opportunities across England as part of a radical skills revolution, giving them the chance to develop skills where they are most needed across the workforce to rebuild Britain.
More skilled brickies, carpenters and healthcare support workers will soon be trained up as Labour continues drive to get Britain working, with landmark reforms announced today that refocus the skills landscape towards young, domestic talent.
Labour’s measures, backed by a record-breaking £3 billion apprenticeship budget, will open up opportunities for young people to succeed in careers the country vitally needs to prosper. More routes into skilled work means more people building affordable homes, more care for NHS patients and more digital experts to push our economy forward.
This includes an additional 30,000 apprenticeship starts across this Parliament. This unprecedented investment is a critical step in delivering Labour’s Plan for Change to create a decade of national renewal.
We are backing our young people and investing in skills as an engine of economic growth – putting more money in people’s pockets across Portsmouth and breaking down barriers to opportunity.
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Backed by unprecedented investment, these landmark reforms will give young people in Portsmouth skills opportunties to set them up for life.
“When I’m speaking with Portsmouth people, they tell me there aren’t nearly enough opportunities for local young people. Our Plan for Change demands a skills revolution which is why we’re delivering these opportunities across vital sectors including construction and healthcare.
“Labour is backing Portsmouth young people so they can learn a trade, earn a wage and thrive in their careers.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“A skilled workforce is the key to steering the economy forward, and today we’re backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and achieve and thrive.
“When we invest in skills for young people, we invest in a shared, stronger economic future – creating opportunities as part of our Plan for Change.
“But everyone has a role to play in a thriving economy, and we’re taking our responsibility seriously providing more routes into employment, it’s now the responsibility of young people to take them.”
This is on top of £100 million over the next four years to expand Skills Bootcamps in Construction announced at Spring Statement as well as additional funding for Free Courses for Jobs in construction.
To support this, Labour is:
- Implementing a 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge, which will deliver up to 45,000 additional training places to upskill the domestic workforce and reduce reliance on migration in priority sectors, as announced in the recent Immigration White Paper.
- Refocusing funding away from Level 7 (masters-level) apprenticeships from January 2026, while maintaining support for those aged 16-21 and existing apprentices. This will enable levy funding to be rebalanced towards training at lower levels, where it can have the greatest impact.
- Launched 13 new Level 2 construction courses for adults in non-devolved areas under the Free Courses for Jobs scheme.
In addition to the £3 billion apprenticeship budget, Labour is backing the new generation of workers through:
- £14 million of adult skills funding for construction to be devolved to local mayors for next academic year, expected to support up to 5,000 additional adult learners.
- £136 million for Skills Bootcamps across a range of priority sectors in 2025-26, providing training to over 40,000 learners.
- £100 million over four years to expand Construction Skills Bootcamps.
- Ten Technical Excellence Colleges specialising in construction skills, opening in September 2025.
As part of Labour’s Plan for Change, the reforms are a vital step in delivering the youth guarantee and addressing skills shortages to drive growth while creating better opportunities for young people and adults across England.
Today’s announcement comes following a dramatic fall in the number of apprenticeship starts over the Conservatives’ last decade in power, with ONS statistics show as many as one in eight 16-24 year olds are not in employment, education or training.
The latest apprenticeship statistics (from 2022/23) demonstrate that the issue is particularly acute in key sectors, with a year-on-year 2,060 decrease in construction apprenticeship starts and a 3,320 decrease across Human Health & Social Work – a damning indictment of Tory policies.
Labour is also confirming Board appointments to the new national body for skills, Skills England, which will work with employers and local leaders to shape training policy and delivery.
