Burnham says pupils in England need clearer pathway into work
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to introduce vocational courses in manufacturing and AI for secondary school pupils in England. The initiative aims to provide a clearer pathway into work and reduce the number of young people not in education, employment, or training.
Why it matters
The policy addresses long-standing concerns about the UK's over-reliance on university-bound education and the rising number of 'NEET' youth.
Image source, Getty Images By Branwen Jeffreys , Education Editor , Nathan Standley , Education reporter and Toby Mann Published 27 July 2026 Updated 4 minutes ago Secondary school pupils in England will be able to study subjects like manufacturing and AI in addition to core academic learning under reforms outlined by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The government said the courses, which would be available from Year 10, would be linked to local industries and designed to give children a clearer pathway into work.
Data published this year showed more than one million young people across the UK were not in education, employment or training, the highest level in more than 12 years.
Few details have been published about how the new vocational courses would work in practice and it is not clear how they would operate in areas with low industrial activity.
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