Investing in the Future – Skills for Young People

Campaign Focus: Training and promoting young people into the skills needed for England’s future economic growth.

(including the Abolition of Student Fees for students in England)

As England faces rapid technological change, an ageing workforce, and the urgent demands of adapting to a changing economic world, the need to equip young people with future-ready skills has never been more critical.

Emerging sectors such as renewable energy, AI, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable construction are already experiencing acute skills shortages, threatening both economic growth and national resilience. At the same time, long-standing inequalities and youth unemployment risk being entrenched unless targeted investment in education, apprenticeships, and technical training is prioritised.

Developing a generation of highly skilled, adaptable workers will not only ensure that England can compete globally but also foster greater social mobility, innovation, and local regeneration. By aligning training with strategic economic needs, we lay the foundations for a more dynamic, inclusive, and future-proof economy. 

Removing the financial burden of higher education in England means the abolition of student fees for students in England.

Student fees in England are widely regarded as unfair because they saddle young people with some of the highest university costs in the developed world, regardless of their background or ability to pay.

At over £9,000 per year for tuition alone, plus living costs and interest rates that outpace inflation, students can graduate with debts exceeding £45,000, debts many will never fully repay.

This system disproportionately affects those from lower-income households, who are more likely to be deterred by the scale of debt, while wealthier students can pay upfront and avoid interest entirely.

Meanwhile, students in Scotland pay no tuition fees at all, and those in Wales and Northern Ireland benefit from heavily subsidised systems, highlighting a stark inequality within the UK itself.

These student fees were imposed on students within England by a UK Government that penalised only one country of the UK, England.

This reinforced how unfair the UK Government can be on the taxpayer in England, access to affordable higher education should be free for all or a fee for all. By treating learning as a private investment rather than a public good, the fees system shifts the burden from society onto students only in England, making it fundamentally unjust.

Key Article:

• 15/07/2025 – Hiring Local: Good for Workers, Business, and Communities