Overview

• Government to create 120,000 training opportunities in key sectors including construction, engineering, healthcare and digital before the next general election.
• Apprenticeship funding for 2025-26 exceeds £3 billion, aiming to launch 30,000 new starts under the current Parliament.
• A 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge will bankroll up to 45,000 of the new training places by levying employers of skilled foreign workers.
• From January 2026, masters-level apprenticeships will see funding cut in favour of lower-level programmes, while support continues for learners aged 16-21 and existing apprentices.
• The Law Society and business groups caution that removing higher-level routes and relying on training alone may not fill acute labour shortages.