Tony Lloyd MP has set out Labour’s plan to boost skills and drive economic growth in Rochdale, as data reveals the Tories’ decade of decline in apprenticeships and training has left the country unprepared for the future.

Tony said, “Young people and adults in Rochdale and across the country are ambitious for their futures and want to learn new skills to get new jobs, or progress at work.

“A Labour government will do just that by giving businesses the flexibility they need to train people up with new skills from digital technologies, to the green skills needed to tackle climate change.

“This builds on Labour’s commitment to embed essential digital and life-skills across the school curriculum and ensure all young people receive professional careers advice and work experience so they leave education ready for work and for life.”

“Over the last decade apprenticeship starts have fallen by 36% in Rochdale as the Tories have given us over a decade of decline in opportunities. It’s time for change.”

To reverse this downwards trend Labour will give businesses the flexibility they’re asking for to train their workforce and deliver growth. We will start by turning the Tories’ failed apprenticeships levy into a ‘Growth and Skills Levy’.

The Conservatives’ levy has seen millions of pounds that should be used for skills training going unspent, even as businesses report growing skills shortages. Giving businesses flexibility would ensure this money could be best on a greater range of training courses including basic English, maths and digital skills, so businesses can fill skills gaps and people can gain new skills to progress at work.

As part of a wider package of reform, Labour will establish a new taskforce, Skills England, to drive forward a national mission to deliver the skills needs of the next decade. This will be driven by pushing power and decisions on skills spending out from Westminster to local communities, so those communities can better match up skills training with their local business needs and grow local and regional economies.

—Ends—

Notes to editors:-

• Constituency apprenticeships data: Apprenticeships and Traineeships