Prime Minister Andy Burnham unveiled plans on Tuesday to allow 14-year-old secondary school pupils in England to study technical subjects alongside core academic courses, aiming to tackle rising youth unemployment.
Under the proposals, which the government expects to roll out in September 2028, Year 10 students will combine mandatory subjects like English, maths, and science with technical pathways linked to local growth industries such as AI, clean energy, and manufacturing.
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The policy builds on the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate framework launched in 2024 and comes after official data revealed over one million young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment, or training.
Balancing Academic and Technical Education
Speaking at a train manufacturing facility in Derby, Burnham emphasized the need to balance vocational skills with traditional university preparation.
"We've had a system built for too long around the university route and it sends a message to some young people that they're some kind of second-class citizens, and it's just not right," Burnham said.
"They need an education system that works for them as well, that offers a path to all young people, that's balanced between academic and technical."
The prime minister noted that the immediate priority is halting the upward trend of unemployed youth.
"The trend is rising at the moment, so the first thing I've got to do is to stop that rise," Burnham said.
Burnham addressed students directly in an official statement, promising equal respect across career paths.
