Reflections and insights from the AELP National Conference 2026
The AELP National Conference 2026 (22–23 June) brought together leaders from across the education landscape at a pivotal moment for the sector.
08 July 2026
Across two days of talks and workshops, speakers returned to the importance of keeping people at the centre of reform. From young people taking their first step into work to adults retraining later in life, the system must remain rooted in opportunity and progression.
We are fully supportive of the clear and consistent emphasis on better supporting young people. Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, reinforced this ambition, highlighting the need for a system that is ‘more coherent, more flexible, more rigorous, and more responsive to the needs of employers and of the economy.’
Alongside this, Sir Ian Bauckham CBE, Chief Regulator at Ofqual, reflected on the range of individuals the system serves, from ‘young people choosing their next step’ to ‘adults coming back into education’, underlining the sector’s role in ‘building the future of the country.’
From a City & Guilds perspective, this direction strongly aligns with our long-standing commitment to creating high-quality technical pathways that support learners at every stage of life, while ensuring employers can access the skilled talent they need.
The scale of this shift was made explicit in her commitment to see 50,000 more young people starting an apprenticeship by March 2029.
At AELP, this was widely interpreted as a reset of the apprenticeship “ladder”, repositioning apprenticeships as a primary entry route for young people, underpinned by targeted funding changes that could fundamentally reshape how the system operates.
Apprenticeships, NEETs and the Milburn Moment
One of the most prominent themes at the conference was the growing link being made between skills policy and employment policy, particularly in response to concerns around NEETs and economic inactivity. Something reflected in our own organisational pledges and priorities.
The forthcoming response to the Milburn Review, expected in the Autumn, was a key reference point. While detail is still to come, there is a clear sense that it could accelerate a structural rebalancing of apprenticeships towards 16–24-year-olds.
Phil Smith CBE, Chair of Skills England, reinforced the importance of ensuring the system continues to work for all learners. However, the emerging direction is clear: apprenticeships are increasingly being positioned as a core tool to tackle youth unemployment and inactivity, not just a mechanism for workforce upskilling.
However, while the need to tackle the NEETs crisis is vital, the opinion at conference was clear that we also need to ensure provision remains in sectors that rely on older entrants or more experienced workers.
Apprenticeship Funding and Incentives
As we have discussed in our recent article on the topic, Baroness Smith referenced the ongoing funding band review, with a particular focus on standards with high under-25 participation and potential uplifts expected from July.
It’s clear that this review is broader in scope, with up to 60 standards under consideration and potential uplifts linked to key Industrial Strategy sectors. Alongside this, SME incentives and co-funding changes were among the most significant and positively received announcements.
There was strong consensus that changes to co-funding are a positive and practical step forward, removing a long-standing barrier to employer engagement, particularly for small businesses. As an organisation working closely with employers and providers, City & Guilds sees these changes as a critical opportunity to strengthen employer participation, particularly among SMEs, while supporting high-quality delivery across priority sectors.
These incentives are widely expected to drive increased employer participation and a rise in apprenticeship starts, especially among SMEs, who will be critical to delivering the government’s ambition for more young people entering the system.
Providers also highlighted strong competition for placements, with too many young people still unable to secure apprenticeship opportunities.
These discussions reinforced a broader point: reform is moving at pace and something we fully support. The system must become simpler and more intuitive for employers if it is to succeed and must maintain the right balance across different learner groups and sector needs.
City & Guilds at AELP
This focus on collaboration was brought to life through City & Guilds’ active presence at the AELP National Conference, an event we continue to see as a critical moment in the skills calendar to engage with partners, listen to the sector and help shape the future direction of reform.
Reflecting on the conference, Interim CEO of City and Guilds Andy Moss commented:
“What we heard at AELP is a clear call to action for the sector. There is strong intent from government to drive opportunity for young people and unlock economic growth through skills. The role of organisations like City & Guilds, now stronger as part of PeopleCert, is to ensure this ambition is translated into high-quality, inclusive pathways that work for learners, employers and providers alike. Collaboration will be critical to making that happen at scale.”
Our workshop, led by Senior Manager of Funding and Policy Bryony Kingsland, ‘Partnerships in Practice, Transforming Skills,’ sparked meaningful discussion on how collaboration can move from principle to practice. Bringing together providers, employers and sector stakeholders, the session created space for open dialogue on the realities of delivering change in an increasingly devolved and locally led system.
The workshop explored how partnerships operate in practice, highlighting both the opportunities and the operational challenges of working across multiple stakeholders with differing priorities. Importantly, it focused on identifying practical, scalable solutions — grounded in the lived experience of those delivering skills on the ground — and how these can be applied to turn policy ambition into tangible outcomes.
City & Guilds’ contribution reflected our unique role at the heart of the skills system: as an organisation that connects policy with delivery, and national reform with local implementation. Through our ongoing work with employers, providers and policymakers, we are able to bring insight, convene conversations and support the sector to navigate complexity with confidence.
Our engagement at AELP also underlined how much we value the event itself, not only as a platform to share expertise, but as an opportunity to listen, learn and strengthen relationships across the sector. As reform accelerates, these moments of connection and shared thinking are more important than ever in ensuring that change is informed, inclusive and ultimately delivers for learners and employers alike.
Looking Ahead
The AELP National Conference 2026 highlighted a system moving decisively from reform in principle to reform in delivery.
Apprenticeships are being repositioned as a central economic and employment tool, with a clear focus on young people, supported by targeted funding uplifts and SME incentives that have the potential to drive significant growth in starts.
The coming months, particularly the government’s response to the Milburn Review and the rollout of funding changes, will be critical in determining whether this ambition translates into real opportunity, and whether the system can achieve the right balance across all learners and sectors.
As the sector continues to evolve, success will depend on partnership, clarity and the ability to deliver at scale.
For City & Guilds, the opportunity is clear: to support customers through this transition, champion high-quality pathways, and play a leading role in shaping a more inclusive and future-ready skills system.