Labour promises 'golden age' of apprenticeships and learning in election pledge
Labour is promising "a golden age of lifelong learning" with more training places for young people and opportunities for adults to learn new skills.
Labour is promising “a golden age of lifelong learning” with more training places for young people and opportunities for adults to learn new skills.
Bridget Phillipson, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said: “Businesses are crying out for help to tackle skills shortages, so Labour will give them the flexibility needed to create skills training opportunities and drive economic growth.”
The policy will be funded through a variation of the existing Apprenticeships Levy, a tax on larger firms which pay 0.5 percent of their annual wage bill.
Labour said its version of the scheme, to be called the Growth and Skills Levy, will give firms more flexibility.
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As well as creating 150,000 trainee places for young people, older workers will have the chance to “upskill” with short courses in growing industries, Labour claimed.
Ms Phillipson said: “Unlike the Tories botched apprenticeships levy which has seen training opportunities plummet, Labour will put businesses in the driving seat of creating the opportunities people need to get on in work.
“The choice on 4th July is between a Conservative Party that has given up on upskilling the nation and Labour that will see in a golden age in lifelong learning so that everyone can get on and fire the growth our economy needs.”
