Apprenticeships 'under threat' from Labour, warns Gillian Keegan

APPRENTICESHIPS would be halved by Labour meddling with the Government's flagship policy in a plan that would cut 140,000 places a year, Gillian Keegan has warned.

- Martyn Brown

The Education Secretary, a former apprentice, said Sir Keir Starmer's plan to let big businesses spend half the Apprenticeship Levy on non-apprenticeship training would "devastate opportunities" for millions of young people.

There were 276,000 apprenticeship starts last year and last week's King's Speech announced placements would be boosted.

The average apprentice salary is £29,901, according to job search site Talent.com.