Students urged to rethink idea of a ‘safe job’ as Labour pledges major education reform
A Cabinet minister has warned young people against depending on “safe and secure jobs” as Andy Burnham announced that children as young as 14 will get access to technical education.
Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, has said that changes to the education system were “more urgent” given disruption to the jobs market from AI tools and other technologies.
McFadden told broadcasters that “general-purpose technology” would “both destroy jobs and create jobs”, adding that young people had to think harder about skills and education in order to secure their futures.
“Perhaps the assumptions about what was a safe and secure job in the past no longer apply today,” McFadden said.
“I think that gives new life to the traditional trades. It gives new life to some of the technical skills that we want to prize through the announcement that we’re making today.”
His warnings followed an announcement by the Prime Minister that technical education would be expanded, with schools to be linked up to local employers to offer young people access to more focused skills training.
Schools to be linked to jobs
Burnham said he would make Ofsted, the schools regulator, monitor how schools prepare students for work. Inspectors will have to consider the quality of technical education offered.
The new education system will also aim to link schools with employers as pupils at the age of 14, which is when GCSE studies begin, will take on technical skills classes that are more directly linked to jobs needs. Burnham said studies in everything between “construction, coding or classics” would come alongside core education in English, maths and science.
“I want an education system based on parity between academic and technical which gives all young people a clear path in life,” Burnham said.
“Britain will value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap.”
Funding for the overhaul in education will come from the existing Department for Education budget. The announcement builds on Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to end Tony Blair’s target for half of young adults entering higher education. The former Prime Minister instead set a new aim for two thirds of young people aged under 25 to go to university or take on apprenticeships.
Neets crisis in focus
Burnham has made tackling youth unemployment one of his top priorities after former health secretary Alan Milburn’s review warned that a crisis of a million young people out of education, employment or training (Neets) was costing the UK economy up to £125bn a year.
Burnham has also framed his education reforms around his drive to devolve powers to regional leaders, drawing on a Manchester-based qualification that was hailed by businesses and teachers when he was mayor.
Local councils will be able to frame curriculums around “industries that matter and are growing in their communities” under new plans, according to government officials. This could mean that 14-year-olds interested in AI could study towards a separate qualification that allows them to gain work experience and work on projects.
Milburn said the proposed changes were “very welcome” as he added he would still provide recommendations for helping Neets find jobs and enter the world of work later this year.
Business leaders also praised reforms, with Startup Coalition executive director Dom Hallas saying help for young people to gain AI and tech skills would “make a huge difference to both their prospects going forward and the talent our startups can access to grow”.