The UK government and industry published Jobs Plans on 19 October that commit to 22,400 new apprenticeships a year for under-25s in professional and business services, plus 40,000 construction placements every year. Plans for digital and defence followed later that week.
Key takeaways
- Professional and business services: 22,400 under-25 apprentices a year for five years, and 20 percent more work experience.
- Construction: 40,000 placements a year and a new Construction Apprenticeship Network for smaller firms.
- Defence: at least 14,000 apprentices a year by 2035.
- Jobs in the eight priority sectors pay about £8,000 a year more than average, the government says.
What kinds of jobs are included?
In professional services, roles range from accountancy and law to AI, cyber security and data analytics. In construction, they cover bricklaying, carpentry, electrical work and plumbing, as well as surveying and engineering.
How can you use this?
If you are under 25, these sectors will be actively looking for apprentices. Build basic digital skills now and look for openings through your local mayoral authority or employer sites. Our guides to in-demand digital skills and free certifications can give you a head start.
What is the background?
The Jobs Plans are part of the government's Modern Industrial Strategy, which picks eight sectors it sees as key to growth, plus construction. Earlier plans covered financial services, clean energy and life sciences. The new ones add professional services, construction, digital and defence. They arrive ahead of the Milburn review on young people and employment, and sit alongside the £2,000 hiring payment for small firms that take on young apprentices.
Who does it affect?
Young people under 25, especially those not in education, employment or training, and people interested in accountancy, law, consulting, cyber security, data and the building trades. Employers in these sectors have committed to the numbers, so openings should appear through company schemes, local skills partnerships and mayoral authorities.
What should job seekers do?
- Decide on a sector. Professional services and construction offer very different day-to-day work.
- Check local mayoral authority and college websites, which will help match people to openings.
- Build simple evidence: a work experience placement, a short course or a basic certificate.
- Ask about pay. The PBS plan includes commitments on the Living Wage and tracking salary transparency.
- See our guide to careers without a degree.
What happens next?
Further Jobs Plans for advanced manufacturing and the creative industries are due shortly, the government says, and the Milburn review on young people and employment will follow.
The government also points to the continued National Insurance exemption for employees under 21 and apprentices under 25, which lowers the cost of hiring young people. New V Levels, expanded T Levels and Technical Excellence Colleges are meant to give more young people a technical route into these jobs alongside university.
Source: GOV.UK, 19 October 2026.
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About the author
Lutaf Junijo
Career Content Editor, World Careers Hub
Lutaf Junijo is the Career Content Editor at World Careers Hub and Dev Global Jobs. He writes and edits our guides on jobs, CVs, visas, salaries and careers abroad, and he runs our official social media. Every fact is checked against official and trusted sources, named in the post, and errors are corrected as soon as readers report them.
