Response to today’s DWP announcement

By Sarah Towan Vice Principal | Recruitment & Communications

Today’s DWP announcement of over £1bn in additional investment for youth employment drive is an important commitment to young people across the UK. The expansion of the Jobs Guarantee to 18–24-year-olds and new employer incentives could unlock up to 200,000 jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

But here in Bradford, we must confront a difficult truth.

There won’t be enough jobs for young people unless we also progress and upskill the adults already in work, Bradford already has fewer higher skilled higher paid jobs than our neighbour city Leeds, that has seen job growth over the last decade being 10x faster.

Youth pathways only work when the labour market above them is moving. If adults cannot step up into Level 4–5 technical and supervisory roles, entry-level opportunities simply don’t open up.

This is why the future of Bradford’s economy depends on higher technical skills just as much as early‑career routes.

• Level 4–5 qualifications are already essential to employers across digital, engineering, health, manufacturing and business operations, but policy still treats them as optional. 
• The defunding of many Level 7 apprenticeships and now a swathe of professional leadership and management at L3 – L5, risks employers withdrawing from Level 4/5 training altogether, collapsing progression ladders from the top down. 
• Adult learners continue to face funding barriers, unclear pathways, and a lack of opportunity locally.

So while today’s investment in young people is welcome and necessary, we must also fix the middle of the system.

If we want sustainable youth employment in Bradford: 

• Adults must be able to move up to make room in the limited jobs market.
• Young people must be able to move in with the support they need to thrive not just survive. 
• Businesses must have the skilled workforce they need to grow and the financial breaks to support investment in skills as a priority. These new measures indicate the existing Age Grant hasn’t had the desired impact on 16-18 apprenticeship starts, will a business be swayed by £500-£1000 more?

Investing in young people is vital, but investing in progression for adults needs to happen too in order to unlock the jobs our young people will eventually move into.