Children could get career training from age 14 under major education shake-up

New plans would give teenagers earlier access to work experience and technical education from Year 10.

Young man wearing work gloves standing in warehouse, removing rusty nails from recycled wooden planks using hammer.

Getty/Mint Images

Published: July 28, 2026 at 12:10 PM

Save

Children in England could soon start preparing for their future careers from the age of 14 under new government plans designed to give teenagers more choice after school.

Ad

The proposals would allow pupils in Year 10 to combine traditional GCSE subjects with technical education, work experience and links to local employers, helping them explore career options before they leave compulsory education.

What to see more MadeForMums in your search results? Tell Google!

From parenting news to expert advice and trusted product recommendations, make sure you don't miss the MadeForMums content that matters to your family. Add MadeForMums as a Preferred Source on Google.

The government says the reforms are intended to put technical education on the same footing as academic routes, giving families more options whether a child hopes to go to university, complete an apprenticeship or move straight into skilled work.

What are the new education plans?

The proposals would introduce new technical education pathways for pupils from the age of 14, with an ambition for them to begin rolling out from September 2028.

Alongside core subjects including English, maths and science, pupils would also be able to:

The pathways would be developed locally by schools, colleges, employers, mayors and councils so they reflect the industries and jobs available in each area.

Depending on where families live, this could include sectors such as:

Why is the government making these changes?

The announcement follows an interim review by Alan Milburn, which warned that more than one million 16 to 24-year-olds are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Plus, the government spoke to around 14,000 young people last year, who said that they wanted better careers advice, more practical skills training and clearer routes into good jobs, which the new reforms aim to create.

The government says many young people are leaving education without the practical skills, workplace experience or employer connections needed to move successfully into employment. It believes introducing technical learning earlier could help teenagers make more informed decisions about their futures while strengthening links between schools and employers.

Most secondary schools already offer some form of technical qualification, but these new plans aim to improve the quality, availability and status of these qualifications.

What has the Prime Minister said?

Announcing the plans, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the current education system has placed too much emphasis on academic routes.

He said: "For too long in this country, students have been told that you must take the academic path to do well and to be respected. The whole school system has been built around it and that has let down young people seeking technical qualifications."

From today, Britain will value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham

Burnham also said: "In a fundamental change to the education system, we will introduce new technical education pathways from 14, prestigious routes that will give students the chance to combine the core academic subjects with the skills, technical knowledge and experience they need to get quality, well-paid jobs where they live.

“I want an education system based on parity between academic and technical which gives all young people a clear path in life. From today, Britain will value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap.

"My message to young people is this, whether you choose construction, coding or classics, or maths, manufacturing or mechanics, you'll get the skills you need and be given the respect you deserve."

What could this mean for families?

For parents of secondary school children, the proposals could mean more opportunities for teenagers to explore different career paths before choosing what to do after Year 11.

Rather than following a purely academic route, children interested in practical or vocational careers could gain workplace experience alongside their studies while still keeping options open for further education, apprenticeships or university.

The government also plans to change the way Ofsted assesses schools so inspectors recognise the quality of technical education and how well schools prepare pupils for employment.

When could the changes happen?

The government will now work with local leaders, schools, colleges and employers to design the new technical pathways. The ambition is for the first routes to begin from September 2028, although the plans will need to be developed before they are introduced.

Until then, existing technical qualifications and vocational courses offered by schools and colleges will continue to be available.

What do experts think?

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: “I wholeheartedly agree with the direction of travel of these reforms. Local leaders should have a greater role in making sure young people have a line of sight to employment. I look forward to hearing more and working with the government to ensure we deliver an education system that works for every child, in every postcode. That means long-overdue attention paid to vocational routes alongside making sure every child, no matter their background, can choose quality academic paths.

“Too many children still don’t get the education they deserve and then struggle to get a job. This is a chance to change that. Children consistently tell me that they desperately want useful work experience, effective information about their options, and to be able to learn skills that will be useful in the real world. Children are ambitious – now it is our job to deliver for them.”

And Alan Milburn, author of the review that found more than one million young people are NEET, said: “A million young people are being failed by a system that isn’t creating the opportunities for them to progress in life. The world of work is changing and the education system isn’t keeping up.

Ad

“The changes the PM is announcing today are very welcome. They are a big step in the right direction and consistent with the findings of my review. A whole system reset is needed across health, welfare and labour market policy as well as in education and skills. I know the PM recognises this and my final report will outline the further changes that are needed.”

Authors

MadeForMums

Ad

Ad

Loading...

Ad

Loading...