The Thinkery: Gloucestershire responds to the PM’s new age of apprenticeships
This week Keir Starmer told the nation we’d be moving away from a belief university degrees are best, to give parity to apprenticeships. How has that gone down in the county?
Dear reader,
With the tragic events outside the Manchester synagogue overshadowing all news as we publish today, it’s easy to forget what happened earlier this week.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to the stage at the Labour Party Conference to tell us we are about to see apprenticeships come centre stage, marking a new era that puts them on a par with university degrees.
It was this, he said, that would help drive the much-needed growth and £800 million of what he claimed was ‘new’ money would ensure that it happens.
In Gloucestershire that battle for parity has long been waging, with the county out ahead of many other areas of the UK in recognising the power of apprenticeships.
Leaving aside the opinion of struggling universities you might have thought the news would be welcomed here then among those existing apprenticeship champions, but it’s more complicated than that.
Welcome to the latest of our Thinkery articles, a series which takes a look at all manner of subjects and asks what people in the county, in the business community, in education, training and the third sector and more, think about it all.
We hope you enjoy it.
Have a great weekend.
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
*The Raikes Journal is the only independent news outlet in Gloucestershire approved to use the copy of the BBC local government reporting service.
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Your briefing notes…
Voting is now closed in the Believe in Gloucester Awards 2025, the Gloucester BID’s (Business Improvement District) event that aims to recognise the hero businesses, organisations and individuals who help make the city special. And we can tell you that the shortlists of three/four names for each of the 15 awards attracted some 2,500 votes! The winners will be announced at a gala event on 27 November at Gloucester Guildhall. Even if you don’t have a vested interest in the city, if you love and support Gloucestershire the shortlists is a great way to introduce youself to names you probably have never even heard of.
Cyber companies looking to grow their businesses, attract investors even, are being invited to a special event due to take place on Wednesday, 15 October, at Cheltenham’s Deya brewery on the Lansdown Industrial Estate. Sidekick Venture Studios is teaming up with Google Cloud and Plexal, which owns and manages the Hub8 cyber centre in the middle of town. You’ll hear from cyber professionals, start-up founders, early-stage investors, ecosystem builders and more. From 5.30pm to 8pm.
On Thursday 9 October businesses from across the South West will gather at a special breakfast event which will mark the launch of what is called Tech Adoption for Growth. The fully-funded programme consultancy, grants, and expert support to help businesses embrace digital technologies, boost performance, and accelerate growth. Open to Gloucestershire businesses and delivered by Business West and due to take place from 8am to 9.15 at Bristol Beacon.
The University of Gloucestershire is hosting a free public lecture on 8 October 2025, where leading economist Professor Malcolm Prowle will look at why the UK struggles to achieve economic growth. More here.
Grade II-listed country house hotel, wedding and event venue Eastwood Park near Wotton-under-Edge is on the market for £6 million. The 71-bedroom hotel, which can host 50 delegates and cater for everything from weddings to conferences, is being sold through Christie & Co. After 30 years running the business owner John Thatcher has decided to retire.
Ideas for the weekend
Friday:
🩰 Imperial Classical Ballet presents: Sleeping Beauty at The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, tonight (from 7.30pm) and Swan Lake on Saturday from 4pm and 7.30pm.
🎶 The Oomparty Band arrive for a one-of-a-kind Bavarian-themed party band at Stroud’s Sub Rooms. Doors open at 7pm.
Saturday:
🎶 From P!nk to Kelly Clarkson, Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner HEART and Alanis Morissette. Expect it all and more when Women in Rock opens at The Rose, Tewkesbury, from 7.30pm.
🚜 Haywire is a heartwarming and riotously funny new play, commissioned by the Barn Theatre, Cirencester, and licensed by the BBC, to be performed ahead of the 75th anniversary year of The Archers. Today at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
🎶 Rock the 80s! Music from the decade from the likes of Van Halen, Elton John, Cutting Crew, A-ha, Toto, Huey Lewis, ELO, Prince, The Police, Journey, & many more at The King’s Theatre, Gloucester.
Sunday:
🏉 Gloucester Rugby play Northampton today from 3pm at Kingsholm.
The Thinkery: Gloucestershire responds to the PM’s new age of apprenticeships
This week Keir Starmer told the nation we’d be moving away from a belief university degrees are best, to give parity to apprenticeships. How has that gone down in the county?
Prime Minister Keir Starmer was adamant. An extra £800 million would be pumped into driving the next generation of talent towards apprenticeships, he told the Labour Party conference.
The idea that university degrees are best and apprenticeships second was wrong and out of date, and a new age was coming.
Apprenticeships, he said, will have parity with university degrees, if not a higher standing, with detail expected to be fleshed out in a forthcoming post-16 White Paper that will supercharge the role of further education.
“I don’t think the way we currently measure success in education – that ambition to get 50 per cent of kids to uni – I don’t think that’s right for our times,” said Starmer, standing in front of his party and beside a sign with the slogan ‘Renew Britain’.
“Because if you are a kid or a parent of a kid who chooses an apprenticeship, what does it say to you? Do we genuinely, as a country, afford them the same respect?
“Today I can announce we will scrap that target and we will replace it with a new ambition that two-thirds of our children should go either to university or take on a gold standard apprenticeship.”
The White Paper is expected to spell out how 14 new technical colleges will be created to focus on high-growth sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and digital - all areas Gloucestershire is already invested in and driving forward.
This seems to be in addition to the 10 technical excellence collages already announced for construction and the five for the defence sector.
The £800 million will be for 16 to 19-year-olds and for 2026/27.
But what does Gloucestershire think of it all?
As The Raikes Journal highlighted last month when 300 apprentices started at Gloucestershire College, the county has been bucking a national trend that has seen a decline in the take-up of apprenticeships across the UK generally.
You might assume the Prime Minister’s direction of travel would be welcomed with open arms by those already invested in apprenticeships, but it’s more complicated that that.
“Yes, we very much welcome the announcement as it recognises that further education, skills and technical training are going to be central pillars underpinning all of the government’s missions,” said Matthew Burgess, principal of Gloucestershire College.
“Whilst the PM announced the injection of £800 million extra into 16-19 education, much of this is not new and the bulk will be used to fund the increasing numbers of 16-18 year olds coming through.
“Nevertheless, the shift in narrative moving away from pushing everyone to university, and instead apprenticeships, technical education, and further education as equally valid, respected routes is an important signal and a really positive development.
“We will want to see how his statement is translated into meaningful commitments in the impending post-16 White Paper.”
Warren Thomas, chief executive officer of Gloucestershire Engineering Training, said: “I feel the decision not to focus on the 50 per cent of adults into higher education and university is very positive, along with the additional £800m funding.
“Replacing with two thirds of people to either go to university or complete a gold standard apprenticeship before the age of 25 will support drive to tackle the skills gap.
“It also provides more parity for apprenticeships and degrees. We must also consider there is a very large skills deficit for craft and technical training within the county and nation.”
But he also has reservations.
“The funding needs to be prioritised locally and by sector to ensure the identified sectors of growth are supported accordingly in line with the industrial strategy,” said Thomas.
“I do feel that placing the focus on the further 14 super colleges is a risk, as most of the apprenticeship in engineering and manufacturing are delivered by independent training providers.
“There needs to be more parity in this area to ensure the success and growth of apprenticeships to support the industrial strategy.”
Nevertheless, should the money find its way into the county both GET, which serves many of the county’s best engineering firms – from the biggest to the smallest - and Gloucestershire College are in a good place to capitalise.
“The college is absolutely ready. What the PM set out that he wants is what we do,” added Burgess.
“We already have modern workshops, labs, specialist equipment (e.g. engineering, construction, ICT) that will be needed to deliver the curriculum set out by the PM offer (and can scale) courses in sectors likely to be priorities (e.g. advanced manufacturing, digital, clean energy, construction).
“We are the largest provider of apprenticeships in the county by some distance.
“We already engage employers locally and regionally, so we have understanding of skills gaps and we can adapt offerings responsively.
“Skilled teaching staff recruited from industry who can deliver the hands-on, technical training described used to working with apprenticeships, work placements, employer liaison, and can scale those systems.
“The plans set out an upscaling of activity if fewer learners follow a traditional university route and this will create the need for more facilities and more staffing, so the detail of the funding settlement to unlock this is critical.”
The college has already invested sigificantly in both its cyber-related facilities and courses - including offering a cyber degree apprenticeships - and in its contruction skills and green skills facilities. Earlier this year it also revealed plans to further expand its Gloucester site.
“In short, we are not just ready, we are keen and well placed to scale. But success will require continued alignment from government on funding flexibility, capital support, workforce investment, and sensible regulatory design.
“With those in place, Gloucestershire College can play a major role in delivering high-quality further and technical education to support local learners and regional economic growth.”
Engineering giant Renishaw, which has its headquarters in Wotton-under-Edge and is a worldwide business, has been a proactive advocate of apprenticeships since its foundations.
It currently has 171 employees on one of our 32 different apprenticeship schemes (levels 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7) and a further 37 are upskilling via an apprenticeship, so over 200 employees currently on some form of apprenticeship.
Chris Pockett, the firm’s head of communications, said it was also worth recognising the overlap between apprenticeships and university degrees.
“We have employed apprentices every year for the past 46 years and very pleased that their value is now recognised at the highest levels of Government.
“We have also offered graduate schemes for over 40 years, and we feel that it is important that there are diverse options available that suit the learning preferences, aspirations and development needs of young people across our communities.
“What is not often understood is that apprenticeships can also be an alternative route into higher education, with many examples across our business of individuals who started as level 3 apprentices and went on to achieve honours degrees sponsored by Renishaw.”
Clare Vertigen is managing director of the Gloucester-based South West Apprenticeship Company, which also works with Gloucestershire College and CyNam on initiatives like the Tech Talent Lab, which aims to help SMEs and startups maximise the benefits of IT and cyber apprenticeships.
“I welcome the news. Further and higher education should be about gaining the skills you need for a career, not just walking away with a certificate, debt, and no guarantee of a job.
“It is vital that we focus on quality apprenticeships, not just quantity. I would encourage the Labour Government to expand higher-level apprenticeships as a genuine alternative to the traditional degree route.
“By combining academic training with real-world experience, I truly believe apprenticeships have the power to transform social mobility.
“On a personal level, my son chose a five-year engineering degree apprenticeship over a three-year university degree because he wanted to learn on the job, guided by qualified mentors and working on real projects.
“This path is attractive to many young people, but the opportunities are still far too limited. My son’s employer reportedly had 35,000 applicants for just 1,300 apprenticeship places this September.
“However, we need to see more investment in creating apprenticeship vacancies and greater education for employers about the benefits they bring.
“With stronger incentives, more businesses would embed apprenticeships into their recruitment and growth strategies, unlocking potential for both young people and employers.”
Please do email us your thoughts on the plans at andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk.