North East plan for 1,500 apprentices by 2029 must be 'just the start' of push to end NEET crisis

North East mayor Kim McGuinness and council leaders have signed off on plans for the rollout of a new pilot programme aiming to provide more opportunities for young people at risk of slipping out of education or work.

The North East has the highest rate in England of 16 to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), 19.6% as of March 2026 – equating to roughly 59,600 people.

There is mounting concern across the country about the NEETs crisis, with former health secretary Alan Milburn leading a review into how to prevent a “lost generation”.

At a meeting in Blyth, the North East mayoral authority cabinet gave its backing to the region becoming a pilot area for a new apprenticeship brokerage scheme backed by £10 million of Government funding.

The scheme aims to build stronger connections between businesses and young people, improve employers’ capacity to take on apprentices, and provide clear pathways into local jobs – initially focused on leisure and tourism, housing, and advanced manufacturing.

The pilot is expected to deliver 1,500 additional apprenticeship starts for young people aged 16 to 24 by March 2029, of which 375 are expected to be NEETs.

However, it is expected to be expanded further – with the mayor’s office expecting a second tranche of funding from the Department for Work and Pensions to boost the pilot further.

Ms McGuinness said that the 1,500 opportunities created “has to just be the start”.

She added: “It [the NEET rate in the North East] is not acceptable and we are not doing enough yet to help get them onto the career ladder. I strongly believe that every child, regardless of their background, every young person deserves opportunity and they should not be met with dead ends. They should be met with the tools that they need to get on.”