The 2015 Report: Education and skills

In September, we will see the final step in the reforms to the participation age, with 18-year-olds being required to stay in education and training for the first time. History shows that if such a change is to be successful, it will require more than just another year of enforced attendance for 18-year-olds. Really careful, systemic thought about how further education can make young people's pathways and futures more meaningful is needed.

A positive story in 2014 has been the reduction in the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet). This is a significant achievement, particularly as the Neet rate for 16- to 18-year-olds fell to 10.6 per cent, the lowest figure since comparable data was available in 2000. At a local level, Leeds has put a number of initiatives in place to try to become the first Neet-free city. This should be a vision that is adopted more widely, and is one over which local areas should have more control over if the desire for increased devolution to cities becomes a reality.

A continuing policy theme seems to be the need to improve young people's literacy and numeracy skills. To that end, 16-year-olds who do not achieve a C in English and maths GCSE are now required to continue studying the subjects until they are 18 or have achieved a C. In December, the government also launched six new post-16 core maths qualifications. Such changes pose challenges to institutions, as well as the young people, with staff needing increased training to make this step change in capabilities.

In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor said firms that hire apprentices under the age of 25 will be exempt from national insurance contributions. Encouraging more apprenticeships is a move that will be supported by all parties. But that policy should go further, preserving apprenticeships as opportunities only available for under-25s.

Increased thought needs to go into the work-based learning offer for 16- to 18-year-olds and whether some nuance in the offer is needed to make apprenticeships at this age more meaningful for these young people and their employers.

Key changes

• Restrict apprenticeships to young people under the age of 25, making them a tool to support young people entering the labour market
• Where regions have the capacity, willingness and plans to deliver locally-tailored skills provision, more funding should be devolved for this
• More funding must be found to recruit and train staff to deliver more stretching post-16 maths qualifications and to support 16- to 18-year-olds who do not yet have the necessary literacy and numeracy skills

Election manifesto pledge

A guarantee for 18- to 21-year-olds who are unemployed. A clear pathway should be developed that offers access to education and training with support to find work or an apprenticeship, while those who are struggling after six months should move into compulsory, paid work experience.

Louise Evans is senior research fellow in education at IPPR