For too long, too many people have been locked out of the job market, which fails them and fails our economy. That’s why we are beginning to do things differently with a new Youth Guarantee in Peterborough, says Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes.

The drop in apprenticeships in Peterborough under the last government was one of the worst signs of failure. Peterborough is a proud, working city, but we have allowed too many decent jobs to be replaced with low-paid, low-skilled opportunities.

We need to turn that around. That’s why Labour’s Youth Guarantee, offering every young person a chance to earn or learn, is so important. It directly addresses the worrying rise in the number of young people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who are not in education, employment, or training, a group too often branded with the label “NEETs”. Figures from earlier this year show that 3.9% of 16–17-year-olds locally are currently falling through the cracks, higher than the national average. That is simply not good enough.

I’ve heard these concerns time and again in my meetings with local businesses, apprentices, and parents. The drop in apprenticeships under the last government was a sign that we have lost focus on what matters. That’s why my priority in Parliament and locally has been to reverse the slide in apprenticeship starts and improve practical routes into good work.

Andrew visiting apprentices and trainers at Baker Perkins

placeholder image — Andrew visiting apprentices and trainers at Baker Perkins

University is important, but we have become too obsessed with it in this country. I’ve long called for a stronger focus on apprenticeships and colleges, such as our own brilliant Peterborough College, so that young people have choices. ARU Peterborough provides the best of both worlds, a world-class university on our doorstep, but with practical, skilled degree apprenticeships and close work with employers.

Labour’s Youth Guarantee brings new national funding: £10 million across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire over the next two years, part of a £45 million investment in youth employment support, with a £25 million boost to Youth Hubs. Unlike traditional employment support, the Youth Guarantee provides the flexibility for us to develop local approaches through mentoring, CV support, and careers services, as well as tackling barriers to employment. It brings together partnerships with government, colleges, employers, combined authority, and mayor.

A good example is the new employment hub that will open next week at the Peterborough United Stadium. This is government funding and partners helping to support the Mayor, POSH Foundation, and others to deliver local support for young people who are seeking work, including partners like the Job Centre Plus and English Football League. The project aims to bring services together in one place for people aged 16-24, such as careers advice, skills training, mental health support, and job matching.

This is about more than just jobs. Investing in skills and apprenticeships gives hope for young people, businesses, and our community. I will keep listening, campaigning, and bringing people together until Peterborough is the best place for young people to build their futures.