Britain’s industrial base will be rebuilt by British workers and not “foreign labour”, the Government has pledged as it unveils £275million to boost skills. It claims the days when opportunities are “shipped overseas” are over. The Prime Minister will launch a new industrial strategy on Monday with the goal of boosting skills in key areas including engineering and defence. The Government insists its “plan to rebuild British industry” backs “British talent, not foreign labour”.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “To make Britain the best place in the world to do business, we also need the best workforce in the world with the right skills and expertise to thrive. Our modern industrial strategy will be powered by investing in British people.
“It will help transform our skills system to end the overreliance on foreign labour, and ensure British workers can secure good, well-paid jobs in the industries of tomorrow and drive growth and investment right across the country, making our plan for change a reality.”
Mr Reynolds claimed previous governments had “watched from the sidelines as British industry has faced under-investment and opportunities have been shipped overseas”. He said the industrial strategy is a “downpayment on a decade of renewal”.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said skills are “key to breaking the link between background and success for young people and delivering prosperity for our country”.
The strategy comes amid major concern about the one in seven young people not in education or employment. The number of people doing apprenticeships has crashed by nearly a fifth between 2016-17 and 2023-24.
There is also worry in Government about the “UK’s growing domestic skills gaps”. New “technical excellence colleges” are intended to train-up workforces required in local economies.
Short courses will allow people to gain new skills in areas including Artificial Intelligence and engineering.
Meanwhile, there will be a drive to improve expertise in the defence sector. As well as funding for courses, there will be investment in “cutting-edge university facilities” so more people can gain the world-class skills the sector demands.
Stephen Phipson of manufacturers’ organisation Make UK said the lack of skills had been “the sector’s Achilles’ heel for decades”.
