What the plans promise

The UK government has published Jobs Plans promising more than 100,000 job and training opportunities a year for young people, as part of its Industrial Strategy. The plans cover professional and business services and construction first, with further plans for digital and technologies and defence to follow.

They include 22,400 new apprenticeships a year for under-25s in professional and business services — in businesses such as accountants, legal services and consultants — alongside 40,000 construction placements every year.

Construction in focus

The construction placements form part of the industry's previously announced ambition to create 100,000 job opportunities a year by the end of this Parliament. The Construction Jobs Plan is backed by a £625 million Construction Skills Package, with funding for up to 10,000 new construction-focused Foundation Apprenticeships and 35,000 additional Skills Bootcamp places.

A new Construction Apprenticeship Network is to be created to boost apprentice recruitment, particularly among smaller firms, and sector plans will cover homebuilding, infrastructure, repair and maintenance, and professional and technical roles. Employers taking on apprentices aged 16 to 24 can also receive a £2,000 hiring payment.

What it means for young jobseekers

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the plans would connect more young people, including those not in education, employment or training, with opportunities to earn, learn and build a career. The Defence Jobs Plan is also expected to raise the number of people supported through defence apprenticeships to at least 14,000 a year by 2035.

These are programme-level commitments rather than individual vacancies, so young people should watch official government and employer channels for live openings as each plan is rolled out. The plans were published ahead of the Milburn review into young people and employment.

Sources: GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-100000-job-and-training-opportunities-a-year-to-give-young-people-a-route-into-britains-growth-industries-as-part-of-industrial-strategy); Construction Management (https://constructionmanagement.co.uk/construction-jobs-plan-sets-ambition-for-100000-opportunities-a-year/).