Check against delivery. First delivered to the Apprenticeship Awards at Nottingham Trent University in May 2025.
Good evening. It is an honour to join you at Nottingham Trent University's annual Apprenticeship Awards. The talent and dedication gathered here are inspirational and wonderful to see.
Today is the anniversary of VE Day. But victory had a remarkable impact on apprenticeships:
- Post-war reconstruction efforts increased demand for skilled workers across industries, revitalising apprenticeship programmes.
- Many returning veterans were placed into apprenticeship programs as part of their reintegration into civilian life.
- Government initiatives in the UK and other European countries promoted apprenticeships to rebuild infrastructure and manufacturing capacity.
- The post-war economic boom created opportunities for traditional trades to expand their apprenticeship offerings.
I want to capture that VE Day spirit for apprenticeships tonight - by weaving together three things: this remarkable city, my passion for apprenticeships, and a touch of literary history.
Many know J.R.R. Tolkien for The Lord of the Rings, but perhaps fewer know his connection to Nottinghamshire. His aunt, Jane Neave, lived at Phoenix Farm in Gedling. His visits here, particularly one in 1914, are believed to have influenced his writing, possibly inspiring the Shire. During that visit, he wrote "The Voyage of Earendel the Evening Star," which was considered a foundational spark for his later mythology of Middle Earth.
Tolkien also wrote a lesser-known but relevant story called Smith of Wootton Major. It features Alf, an apprentice cook. Alf receives excellent training and becomes highly skilled, but when his master departs, the villagers overlook him for the top job. They choose an incapable local, dismissing Alf because, despite his talent, "he had grown a bit taller, but still looked and wasn't one of their own.”
This tale touches upon themes still resonant today: the undervaluation of skills education, societal biases about vocational training, and the incredible, often underestimated, potential of apprentices who, when given a fair chance, frequently exceed expectations. Alf's story echoes the importance of recognising skill and dedication, regardless of background – the principle at the heart of why we celebrate tonight. By the way, Alf becomes an Elven king.
My Journey to Championing Apprenticeships
My commitment to apprenticeships wasn't forged in ministerial office; it began much earlier, listening to young people. Back in 2008, as a parliamentary candidate for Harlow, a meeting had a profound impact on me. I visited a local centre and met disadvantaged teens supported by The Prince's Trust and Catch22.
Their stories were moving. They were bright, capable individuals desperate to learn skills and undertake apprenticeships, but the opportunities weren't there. They spoke passionately about wanting practical training and pathways into work but felt like they were being locked out. Listening to their frustrations, I decided that if elected, I would dedicate myself to championing apprenticeships and skills education. It would become my signature cause.
True to that promise, my maiden speech focused squarely on apprenticeships and the vital importance of career guidance. I argued then, as I still believe, that we must encourage schools and society to value vocational pathways with the same respect as academic degrees. We owe it to the significant proportion of young people not choosing the university route to provide high-quality alternatives that champion aspiration, security, and prosperity.
Putting my beliefs into practice, I became the first MP to employ full-time parliamentary apprentices. It demonstrated that apprenticeships could thrive anywhere, even in Westminster. I've had the privilege of working with several remarkable young people through this scheme. And I am incredibly proud that one early apprentice, Dan Swords, became the Leader of Harlow Council – believed to be the youngest council leader in British political history. His journey is a powerful testament to what can be achieved when talent flourishes through an apprenticeship.
NTU: An Apprenticeship Success Story
And that brings me directly to why we are here: to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Nottingham Trent University's apprentices and the dedicated employers and university staff who nurture their talent. NTU has firmly established itself as a powerhouse in higher and degree apprenticeships, and your success is truly remarkable.
This isn’t rhetoric; the evidence speaks for itself. NTU's apprenticeship provision is officially rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted. This reflects exceptional quality. Inspectors highlighted that apprentices and adult learners at NTU "develop their knowledge and skills very well," becoming "significantly more proficient and skilled." They noted high motivation, excellent attendance, positive attitudes, and a culture of high expectations that was fostered by the staff. They observed apprentices rapidly developing professional skills, learning to respond under pressure and being encouraged to explore subjects widely.
Furthermore, NTU was crowned the number one university provider for higher and degree apprenticeships in the UK by RateMyApprenticeship in 2024. Tonight’s fifth annual awards showcase the incredible talent nurtured here, with nominees from leading employers like Experian, Nottingham University Hospitals, E.ON, Rolls-Royce, and Waldeck Consulting.
What underpins opportunities? NTU has a deep commitment to employability and strong industry partnerships. Your Employability team works tirelessly, ensuring programmes meet business needs while providing clear pathways. You focus on the whole person, helping students understand themselves and their capabilities.
You've reframed degrees like History to embed digital skills and introduced coding into Physics for roles like software architects. This proactive approach, ensuring relevance and building connections through initiatives like work placements undertaken by many students, is exemplary. Collaboration is key, as is partnerships with employers like Bright Horizons or colleges like West Nottinghamshire College for the NTU in Mansfield Hub.
On a personal note, I must mention Vice-Chancellor Professor Ed Peck. During my time as Minister, I always felt Ed was someone I could work with effectively, fundamentally, a man I could do business with. His leadership has undoubtedly been instrumental in NTU's rise as an apprenticeship leader. I particularly valued our collaboration on student mental health, working together on the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce, which Ed chairs. It's a measure of his commitment, as well as NTU’s, to the holistic well-being of students.
Transforming the Apprenticeship Landscape
NTU's success is part of a wider story – the transformation in the UK apprenticeship landscape over the past decade. Reforms, particularly during my time as Minister, were driven by principles aimed at fundamentally reshaping the system.
First, Transforming Prestige. For too long, vocational and technical routes were considered secondary to academic qualifications. This is a damaging, false hierarchy. As I've said, society needs people who know about fish and people who know how to fish. We need both practical skills and theoretical knowledge, deserving equal respect. Elevating apprenticeship status has been central.
Second, Transforming Quality. Quality is paramount. Apprenticeships must deliver high-calibre training leading to genuine competence. Moving from old frameworks to new, rigorous, employer-developed standards was pivotal. These standards equip apprentices with specific knowledge, skills, and behaviours. There are close to 700 apprenticeship occupations.
Third, Transforming to Employer Leadership. Placing employers firmly in the driving seat was a fundamental shift. Employers must identify the skills that their businesses and the broader economy need. Employer-designed apprenticeships are more relevant, boost employability, and help address skills gaps and productivity challenges.
These principles have led towards a more dynamic, responsive, and highly regarded apprenticeship system.
Climbing the Ladder of Opportunity: Building a Skills generation to generation
The Ladder of Opportunity.
It represents a framework for a cohesive skills system that empowers everyone, regardless of their background, to climb towards secure, well-paid employment and a fulfilling life.
This ladder has five crucial rungs.
First Rung: Careers. High-quality career guidance is the essential first step. Young people and families must understand the opportunities and progression pathways in apprenticeships and technical education. This needs to begin early, in primary schools, challenging limiting stereotypes. The strengthened Baker Clause, requiring schools to provide multiple, meaningful encounters with technical providers and employers, is changing behaviours.
Second Rung: Championing Apprenticeships and Skills. Apprenticeships must be at the heart of our national skills strategy. They are critical for widening the skills pipeline and offering paid opportunities for advancement, opening doors for otherwise excluded individuals. The ambition is a quality apprenticeship pathway for every occupation.
Degree Apprenticeships are my two favourite words.
They perfectly bridge the academic and vocational worlds. Apprentices gain invaluable workplace experience, earn a salary, build networks, and work towards a high-level qualification without student debt. This model offers opportunities for talented individuals from all backgrounds. Rather than doing a degree to get a job, higher apprenticeships allow students with jobs to get a Degree.
Third Rung: Quality Qualifications. Alongside apprenticeships, the changes to technical education reinforce the transformation. HTQs and T Levels represent a significant step, a 'gold standard' for technical education at 18, designed in collaboration with employers and offering parity with A Levels through rigorous learning and industry placements. The move to employer-led apprenticeship standards was also crucial. Quality is underpinned by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IATE), working with employers to develop, approve, and review standards, ensuring they meet industry needs.
Skills England aims to build on IFATE's work, taking a strategic view of national skills needs and ensuring technical education remains high-quality and relevant. Quality must be the watchword for these qualifications to gain proper respect alongside their academic counterparts.
Fourth Rung: Lifelong Learning. Education shouldn't stop at 25; it should have no finish line. Upskilling and re-skilling are essential in today's economy. The upcoming Lifelong Loan Entitlement embodies this. It provides individuals with funds equivalent to four years of post-18 education, which can be used flexibly for short courses or full qualifications throughout their working lives, breaking down barriers to adult learning. Think of it as an educational train journey – get on and off when it suits, building skills at your own pace. This flexibility helps people adapt to changing job markets and balance learning with life.
Fifth Rung: Jobs, Security and Prosperity. The skills system must lead to good jobs, economic security, and prosperity. This top rung underscores why aligning training closely with employer and economic needs is critical. Successfully matching high-quality training with talent serves a dual purpose: boosting national skills capacity and competitiveness while empowering individuals towards financial stability and personal fulfilment. And let us never forget the social justice dimension: the ladder is strongest when we nurture talent wherever it exists, ensuring people from disadvantaged backgrounds have equal access to the transformative power of skills education.
Nottingham's Enduring Legacy: The Spirit of the Apprentice
I mentioned Tolkien's connection to Gedling, but Nottingham has a rich apprenticeship history stretching back centuries. This city's prosperity was built significantly on practical skills, hands-on training, and workplace learning.
Think of industries like textiles, particularly lace. Nottingham lace, famous globally, was created through systems relying heavily on apprentices learning from masters. The historic Lace Market district is a monument to that era when countless young people learned their trade. The principle of structured learning, passing skills from generation to generation, was fundamental.
This heritage includes people whose lives were shaped by apprenticeships here. Consider William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army. His formative teenage years were spent as an apprentice in a pawnbroker's shop in Nottingham. Witnessing firsthand the poverty faced by the working class ignited his lifelong mission. That pawnbroker's shop became an unexpected crucible, forging a commitment to social justice. It’s a powerful example of vocational training intersecting with social purpose.
Then there's George Green, the self-taught mathematical physicist from Sneinton. Apprenticed in his father's mill at 14, he possessed an extraordinary intellect. He pursued complex mathematical studies alongside his practical duties, eventually publishing groundbreaking work and earning a place at Cambridge. His journey highlights a phenomenal dedication to learning, transcending conventional apprenticeships, demonstrating that practical work and intellectual growth can go hand in hand.
The spirit animating Booth and Green – combining practical skill with a broader vision, workplace experience with personal growth – that spirit is alive and well here tonight.
I see it in the determination of every apprentice nominated and your commitment to excel in your workplace roles and studies at NTU.
I see your willingness to embrace these pathways, often pioneering them.
Conclusion: Honouring the Past, Building the Future
Nottingham's remarkable apprenticeship heritage – from lace makers to Booth and Green – reinforces my belief that skills education is about far more than economic necessity. It's about social justice, unlocking potential, and enabling people to lead fulfilling lives.
The systems of skill transfer underpinning Nottingham's past were woven into the community's fabric. Today, NTU apprentices are the proud inheritors and modernisers of that tradition. You demonstrate that apprenticeships are not lesser alternatives but stand proudly alongside them as equally valuable pathways to rewarding careers.
As I've advocated throughout my public life, our nation needs a skills system that seeks out and nurtures talent wherever it may be. In our rapidly changing world, the demand for skilled individuals is greater than ever.
Successfully matching high-quality training with diverse talent, like NTU's, is essential for national prosperity and individual empowerment.
To every apprentice nominated tonight and to all award winners: your hard work, dedication, and achievements are outstanding. You honour Nottingham's proud legacy and represent this country's bright future of skills.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
