Business support for PM's education announcement

The government has published endorsements from CEOs and business leaders following the PM's education announcement today. These are for immediate release.

CS Venkatakrishnan, CEO of Barclays, said:

We welcome the PM's National Effort' and share the Government's ambition to help young people build the skills and confidence to thrive in a changing economy. Since launching Barclays LifeSkills in 2013, we have helped millions of young people across the UK build the confidence, skills and opportunities needed to succeed in work, adapt to a rapidly changing digital workplace and manage their money effectively, with 90% of UK secondary schools registered to use Barclays Lifeskills to support financial confidence and employability skills development.
Through a new LifeSkills initiative, Accelerate Your Skills, supported by the Atlassian Williams F1 team, from September we will be helping 1125-year-olds across the UK develop communication, collaboration, problem solving, creativity and adaptability skills that are critical to widening opportunity, strengthening talent pipelines and supporting long-term economic growth.

Tesco Group CEO Ken Murphy said:
"Helping more young people fulfil their potential is not only the right thing to do, it is essential for our communities, our economy and the UK's future. We welcome the Government's ambition to tackle this challenge, and the recognition that success will depend on strong partnerships between business, education and the public sector.
"As the UK's largest private sector employer, we see every day how meaningful work, training and development can transform lives through our partnership with the King's Trust, and programmes like our Stronger Starts apprenticeships - a scheme that requires no education qualifications and helps prepare young people for the world of work.
We plan to go even further in the coming months by doubling down on our commitment to good quality, in-person work experience - creating more opportunities and giving the next generation chances to build a career in retail."

John Boumphrey, Amazon UK & Ireland Country Manager, said:
"Talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn't. I strongly welcome the Prime Minister's ambition to give every young person access to work experience before they leave school. Real experience of a workplace is transformational, helping young people see first-hand the value of communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills that employers are looking for. We see this every day through our Step Up programme for Year 10 students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and as the UK's largest private sector provider of Supported Internships, where we've committed to add 1,000 more by 2030. As one of the country's largest employers with operations in every region of the UK, we stand ready to work alongside Government, local leaders and schools to ensure every young person can access these opportunities."

Zoë Yujnovich, Chief Executive of National Grid, said:

I agree with the Prime Minister that too many young people are being left behind, unable to access the opportunities, skills and support they need to fulfil their potential. That's why National Grid is supporting young people not in education or work to develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to build long-term careers. Our Access Programme has supported 3,000 young people at risk of falling out of education or work, and our training centres are helping develop the skilled workforce Britain needs.

PB Balaji, JLR CEO, said:

"We are committed to inspiring young people to realise their potential through education, skills and employability programmes and helping to bolster the talent pipeline our industry needs for the future, which will also help our communities.
Through our Schools Partnership Programme, we reach secondary students focused around JLR's sites in the West Midlands and Merseyside, which is supported by our strong community of STEM ambassadors. Additionally, The JLR Foundation works with organisations that are leading efforts to improve education and employment prospects for underserved young people.
The more we engage in this space, the more we realise that there is much more to do, and we welcome the Prime Minister's focus on expanding opportunity for young people across the UK."

Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury's, said:
"Too many young people miss out on opportunities because they haven't had the chance to build the skills, confidence and experience that come from the world of work. Retail gives young people the chance to develop these skills early. We welcome this national effort and, as one of the UK's largest private sector employers, we're committed to helping more young people discover their potential and take that first step into work."

Harry Holt, Group CEO (Designate) of Babcock International, said:

We strongly welcome the Prime Minister's ambition to strengthen the connection between education and employment, giving more young people access to high-quality technical and vocational pathways. As one of the UK's largest apprenticeship employers, Babcock is already helping thousands of people develop the skills needed for rewarding careers in critical sectors like defence. Continued collaboration between government, educators and employers will be vital to building the skilled workforce the UK needs for the future.

Sharon Doherty, Chief People & Places Officer, Lloyds Banking Group, said:

"As a major UK employer, we know how important it is that young people can see clear routes from education into rewarding careers. We welcome the Government's focus on strengthening work experience, technical education and apprenticeships, helping young people develop the skills, confidence and experience they need to succeed in work. Over the last five years, we've supported more than 400,000 young people through jobs, work experience and education programmes, and we're committed to expanding that support in the years ahead."

Sarah Armstrong, Chief People Officer Rolls-Royce plc, said: 

A strong pipeline of engaged and enthusiastic talent is vital to ensure that companies like Rolls-Royce can keep the UK at the forefront of technological development and advanced manufacturing. We welcome any effort to bring young people closer to industry and prepare them for the world of work and support the ambitions of the Government to work with industry and local leaders to help more young people leave school ready for a career. At Rolls-Royce, we have a young apprenticeship programme, STEM outreach in schools across the country and our Discover: On Demand' virtual work experience platform, all of which are designed to give young people an experience of what a future career could look like. We know that if we can succeed in attracting talent to our aerospace, nuclear and defence industries, then the UK will benefit from stronger sovereign capability, more resilient supply chains and greater economic and national security.

Marco Amitrano, Senior Partner of PwC UK, said:
"We welcome the Government's focus on stemming the NEET crisis. Prevention is critical because, once young people become disconnected from education or work, finding a route back becomes harder. That's why employers have such an important role to play in connecting with young people from an early age, helping them understand the different paths open to them, broaden their horizons and build the confidence to take that first step, whichever direction they choose. For this to have the greatest impact we need those that lead UK's organisations to prioritise this issue. 

Brian Holliday,CEO of Siemens in the UK and Ireland, said:

Siemens warmly welcomes the Prime Ministers announcement today to improve technical education, focus on foundational skills in schools and improve careers advice and connections with companies. These are incredibly important steps to close the wide skills gap for industry and infrastructure in the UK, whilst addressing the national challenge of those not presently in education, employment or training. Siemens has long invested in early careers and schools programmes, engaging more than 10,000 young people in our virtual work experience programme in the last year alone. Critically, these announcements will help the long-tail of small to medium firms that make up our industrial and infrastructure sectors, to employ more technicians and we stand ready to work with government on this important topic.

Kate Alessi, VP and Managing Director of Google UK & Ireland:

"We are proud to support the Prime Minister's national effort to help young people build the skills, networks, and confidence they need for their future careers. Earlier exposure to digital training, high-quality work experience, and foundational AI literacy are vital to bridging the gap between classroom learning and the workplace. Through our classroom-focused Experience AI programco-created with the Raspberry Pi Foundationand our hands-on mentoring at the London AI Campus, we have seen first-hand how early digital training can transform prospects, especially for young people from underrepresented backgrounds. We look forward to working alongside local leaders, schools, and employers to scale these pathways and help equip the next generation for the jobs of tomorrow."

David Lindberg, CEO HSBC UK said:

We welcome today's announcements and look forward to working with government to help more young people build the skills they need at the start of their careers.

As an employer, we recognise the vital importance of developing these skills. So far this year, a third of all hires we have made in the UK have been among 18-24 year-olds, with the majority outside of London and South East.

We are proud to work with schools and charity partners to develop employability skills, investing in the tools young people need for the future of work, such as building AI skills that support a variety of roles.

We are also pleased to offer 500 one-week, in-person work experience places over 2026 and 2027 for secondary school students, which combine practical and behavioural elements. We use a skills-based selection process to encourage social mobility and offer personalised feedback to each applicant.

Kieran Judd, Chief People Officer at Royal Mail, said:
"As a business that serves every community in the UK, we're proud to help young people build the skills, confidence and experience they need to succeed in the workplace. We welcome the Prime Minister's actions to address NEETs and to introduce more technical vocational opportunities for young people to help prepare them for work. Over the past two months, we have worked with students from Year 10 through to university level at locations across the country, giving them an insight into the wide range of careers available at Royal Mail and the different pathways into employment. Through sessions with colleagues from across the business, students have had the opportunity to explore career options, develop new skills and gain a better understanding of the world of work."