Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe Local apprenticeship brokerage services led by mayors are to be expanded across England, with chancellor John Healey announcing an extra £100 million for the scheme. The services, which aim to connect young people with apprenticeships and persuade more employers to take on apprentices, are currently being piloted in eight mayoral strategic authorities with devolved adult skills funding. Ministers last year allocated £140 million from the apprenticeship budget to fund the pilot. But speaking at the Labour Party conference today, Healey said “every mayor will have the chance to do it”, with the expansion funded by £100 million in “savings” from the Department for Work and Pensions. He described the investment as a “downpayment” on Alan Milburn’s final review into young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), which is due to be published in the coming weeks. Under the scheme, mayoral areas are testing new approaches to supporting 16 to 24-year-olds, particularly those who are, or are at risk of becoming NEET. The aim is to increase apprenticeship starts and completions by helping young people find opportunities and encouraging employers that have not previously recruited apprentices to take them on. Healey described the approach as “football scouts for apprenticeships”. He said: “Today, I want to announce a down payment on Alan Milburn’s work, a local apprenticeship service, expanded to more places, led by mayors and targeted at these young people. “Delivering thousands more apprenticeships, with local teams, a bit like football scouts for apprenticeships, who will go to local firms that have never taken on a trainee and say, ‘we’ll help you do it’.” Chancellor John Healey Healey added: “They’ll go to the youngsters who’ve been out of work and say, ‘we’ve got a place for you’. “Led by mayors, because it’s the mayor that knows their areas best. They know which firms are hiring, they know which colleges are delivering, and they know which estates have been left behind. That’s what devolution means. “We had planned to start in a few areas. Now every mayor will have the chance to do it, backed by an extra £100 million, fully funded by savings from the DWP.” The Treasury later confirmed that the funding will be available to all 14 existing mayoral strategic authorities with directly elected mayors from spring 2027. The funding will be spread over two years, but it is unclear whether the additional £100 million will come from the apprenticeship budget, as the original £140 million pot did. A Treasury spokesperson said next month’s budget will set out details showing how the apprenticeship brokerage expansion is “fully funded by savings found by the DWP”. Skills minister Jacqui Smith addressed the expansion at a fringe event following Healey’s speech. She said the government wanted to see “a much stronger role at a regional and local level” in helping businesses develop apprenticeships and linking individuals with available opportunities. “That’s where we want to see that much bigger role, and that’s where the money is being devolved,” she said. “I think it’s a really exciting opportunity actually to develop that service.” The 14 areas with regional mayors in England: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough East Midlands Greater Lincolnshire Greater Manchester Hull and East Yorkshire Liverpool City Region North East South Yorkshire Tees Valley West Midlands West of England West Yorkshire York and North Yorkshire London
Tracy Clement 29 September 2026 ‘They know which colleges are delivering’. Obviously did not read last week’s excellent article in FE Week, two thirds of apprenticeships delivered by ITPs but we are not mentioned.