Off the Fence with Amanda Martin MP: 'No young person in Portsmouth should be left behind'

These changes will help young people gain the skills they need for good local jobs while giving our businesses the talented workforce they’ve been asking for.

For too long, many young people have left education unsure of their next step, while employers have struggled to find people with the right skills. Portsmouth has huge strengths, from our naval base and port to our growing green and digital industries, construction, beauty, and creative sectors.

These reforms will build on those strengths, linking local training and education directly to the jobs being created on our doorstep.

A key part of the plan tackles the challenge of nearly 1m young people nationwide not in education, employment, or training. The new Youth Guarantee will ensure every young person has access to education, training, or help getting into work. For those who need extra support, the government will subsidise paid work placements so they can build skills and confidence. The goal is simple: no young person in Portsmouth should be left behind.

There’s good news for workers and employers too. The White Paper introduces new qualifications and funding. Foundation Apprenticeships will offer opportunities for 30,000 young people over this Parliament, with employers receiving up to £3,000 per apprentice.

And from April 2026, the new Growth and Skills Levy will fund short, flexible training courses in key areas, making it easier for people to retrain, upskill, or change career at any stage of life.

As someone who has championed vocational skills and apprenticeships since first being elected, I know how vital they are. For too long, technical and practical education has been undervalued, even though our economy depends just as much on skilled tradespeople, engineers, and technicians as it does on graduates.

I want every young person, and every parent, to see an apprenticeship for what it is: a first-class route to success, not a second choice.

We in Portsmouth understand resilience. The loss of shipbuilding over a decade ago hit our community hard – not just in jobs, but in identity. Yet it showed our strength. Many former shipyard workers retrained and brought their skills to new industries, though others struggled to find equivalent work. We owe it to them, and to the next generation, to make retraining and lifelong learning easier and more accessible than ever.

This focus on skills and opportunity is long overdue. After 14 years of Conservative government, apprenticeship starts fell by over a third, and adult skills training was almost halved. Too many doors closed for too many people. Labour’s reforms are about rebuilding that ladder of opportunity, helping people reach their potential and supporting the businesses that need their talent.

After 24 years as a teacher here in Portsmouth, I’ve seen how vital it is to give every young person the opportunities they deserve. There’s work ahead, but I’m excited about what these reforms will mean for our city, for our young people, those looking to retrain, and the local businesses who’ll benefit from their skills.

This is the kind of change Portsmouth has been waiting for, and I’ll be working with local partners to make sure we get the best from it.

If you’d like to find out more about how these reforms could affect you or your family, please get in touch through my website or come along to one of my regular surgeries.