Overview

• From January 2026, funding for master’s-level apprenticeships will be limited to existing learners and 16-21-year-olds as resources shift to lower-level programmes.
• The government has pledged 120,000 new apprenticeship and training places in England before the next general election, targeting construction, engineering and healthcare skills gaps.
• Employers recruiting from overseas will pay a one-third higher Immigration Skills Charge to underwrite up to 45,000 of the new training spots.
• Three new Level 2 construction courses for adults will launch under the Free Courses for Jobs scheme to boost entry-level skills in the sector.
• Local mayors receive £14 million in devolved adult construction funding and an additional £100 million will expand Construction Skills Bootcamps over four years.