Keir Starmer has said Labour will scrap the current university target and replace it with a new one for two-thirds of young people to go to university or do a “gold-standard apprenticeship”. This will replace the target for 50% of young people to go to university.

At the Labour Party conference, he said that while university aspirations are important, aiming for 50% of kids to attend isn’t right for our times. He questioned if kids choosing apprenticeships receive the same respect.

To support reforms, the Government will invest nearly £800 million in extra funding to help 16 to 19-year-olds next year. The funding will come from the existing Spending Review settlement, Labour said, and will support 20,000 more students. The Prime Minister also announced 14 new Technical Excellence Colleges, which will be focused on sectors like advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the inclusion of skills education, apprenticeships, and funding for 14 new technical colleges. He noted that colleges have long been underfunded yet crucial in providing skills and training to many young people