Apprentice Ambassador Co-Chair, Jess Duff, on why the drive to Keep Britain Working really matters.
The Sir Charlie Mayfield “Keep Britain Working” review is one of the most important pieces of work we’ve seen in years on future employment, skills and the health of our workforce.
For those of us championing and supporting apprenticeships, the findings make interesting reading and land close to home. The North East has some of the highest rates of economic inactivity and too many of our young people are impacted and having potential careers pulled off track and into the sidings by ill-health, dearth of opportunity or a growing sense that workplaces are not for them.
The review is stark: over one in five UK working-age adults are economically inactive, with ill-health the fastest rising cause. Mental health challenges are escalating among the young, while older workers leave the labour market too early and people with disabilities remain locked out at twice the rate of the non-disabled. While these are national challenges, we feel them acutely in the North East where generational inequalities often compound health, skills and employment barriers.
I welcome Sir Charlie’s refusal to accept that a downward trajectory is inevitable. His review sets a clear vision for a “new deal” based on shared responsibility between employers, employees and government. And for young people in our region, this shift is a real step in the right direction.
NEAAN sees firsthand the immense potential of apprenticeships to prevent young people from becoming disengaged and alienated from the future workforce. Keep Britain Working reminds us that a 22yr-old falling out of work for health reasons could be over £1m worse off across their lifetime – a staggering sum. Apprenticeships do the opposite, anchoring young people to a good job, progressive training, stable income and, hopefully, employers who spot the signs of struggle.
The review also makes it clear that employers need better tools, clearer standards and consistent support to prevent ill-health from pushing people out of work in the first place. The proposed Healthy Working Lifecycle and improved Workplace Health Provision has the potential to be if not quite transformative, then an incredibly positive step for the North East, where many SMEs want to do the right thing but lack capacity or guidance to implement early intervention.
Young people need places where mental health is understood, reasonable adjustments are commonplace and early conversations about wellbeing are embraced and not met with fear, stigma or bureaucracy. The review’s call for better data, coordinated support and evidence-driven incentives will help get us there, with employers empowered, not burdened, and apprentices thriving in safer, healthier environments.
The North East is home to pioneering employers, colleges and training providers ready to act as vanguards for this change. Our two Combined Authorities will also play their part to ensure our young people – resilient, talented and eager for opportunity – enter a system designed to keep them connected to work, hope and long-term prospects.
Sir Charlie’s message is clear: keeping Britain working is good for people, good for employers and good for the UK. For North East apprentices, it’s not just good, it’s essential. We can all play a role in ensuring this review becomes a turning point to brighter future for young people and organisations and businesses across our region.
