Andy Burnham’s Blueprint to Turn Greater Manchester’s Youth-Employment Experiments into a National Programme

During a recent interview with The i Paper, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham outlined a four-part plan he intends to bring to the UK government. He argues that the transition from compulsory schooling to work is a critical period and that early-stage interventions can prevent long-term disengagement. The proposal links education, transport, public procurement and local welfare support, aiming to give 16- to 18-year-olds a clearer route into apprenticeships, technical training and paid work.

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• Procurement-linked apprenticeships – Burnham proposes that government contracts be awarded only when bidders commit to providing work placements or apprenticeships for 16- to 18-year-olds, using a “social-value” weighting to leverage public spending for youth employment.

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• Free bus travel tied to work experience – In Manchester, all 16- to 18-year-olds receive a free bus pass. Burnham suggests replicating this nationally, pairing the travel subsidy with guaranteed access to high-quality work-experience opportunities.

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• Devolved employment support (“Working Well”) – The Manchester-based programme treats unemployment as a multi-factor issue, offering dedicated advisers who address housing, debt, health and skills alongside job searching. Burnham cites evidence that this “whole-person” approach doubles the rate of return to work compared with traditional, application-focused services.

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• Youth wellbeing survey (#BeeWell) – Schools across Greater Manchester survey pupils on confidence, belonging and future outlook. The data reveal a sharp drop in engagement by year 10 and low levels of hope in some boroughs, informing targeted interventions before problems become entrenched.

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Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is reported to be reviewing proposals that would grant similar devolved powers to mayors elsewhere, indicating early governmental consideration of Burnham’s model.

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Burnham’s framework seeks to remove transport barriers, embed employers in education pathways, and address non-employment factors that keep young people out of work. If adopted nationally, the combined measures could create a more coordinated route from school to skilled employment, potentially reducing the number of 16-year-olds who fall out of education and later struggle to re-enter the labour market.

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The proposal will be presented to the national government as part of Burnham’s broader ambition to reshape the UK’s education and employment system. Further discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions and other ministries are expected to determine whether the procurement, travel and devolved-support elements will be incorporated into future policy.

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