Andy Burnham’s ‘hard hat revolution’ has been given a huge boost by skills charity Enginuity, which has been fighting for skills reforms for years.
The Prime Minister’s announcement of the provision of vocational pathways to work from the age of 14, is music to the ears of the SME champions that has been on the frontline of the fight to bring parity of esteem and resources between skills provision and academia.
The timely announcement comes just days before Enginuity and sister awarding organisation EAL bring the nation the inaugural Vocational Celebration Day on Thursday 6th August 2026.
Deliberately positioned, a week before A-Level Day, Vocational Celebration Day aims to give an opportunity for those on a vocational pathway to work to have a moment in the spotlight and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
Presented by TV star, author and podcaster Steph McGovern, the hour-long programme will be streamed on YouTube and provided to news organisations free of charge across the country.
Steph, a former engineering apprentice, is passionate about skills provision and revealed in the Independent that she is angry on behalf of young people, described by Alan Milburn in his recent draft report to Government, as the ‘Lost Generation’.
Steph said: “Why should academics have all the fun and glory? We have graduation days, A Level Day, GCSE Day – now Vocational Celebration Day. I’ve been banging on for years about the need to celebrate vocational qualifications in the same way we do purely academic success stories.
“Let’s face it, vocational learners are the lifeblood of our country and yet have been left in the shadows. We want to make sure that this changes and these brilliant people get to celebrate in style.”
Ann Watson MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Enginuity, said: “We are right behind this reset in the psyche of our country. Our campaigning is starting to bring dividends to the next generation, business, education and the nation as a whole.”
Over the last year, Enginuity and EAL have been campaigning for vocational and technical education to be given the same recognition, respect and status as academic routes. It is encouraging to see parity between academic and technical pathways now being placed at the centre of the conversation about young people, skills and work.
This matters because vocational skills are not a second choice; they are essential to our economy, communities and industrial strength.
Enginuity’s recent research report, Mind the Gap, found that skills shortages are costing UK engineering and manufacturing an estimated £5.2 billion every year, underlining the urgent need to inspire more young people into technical and vocational careers.
Their latest vocational attitudes research also shows strong and improving interest in apprenticeships and vocational routes. It found that 95% of parents are interested in knowing more about apprenticeships, 65% would encourage their child to consider an apprenticeship over university, and 90% of young people would consider that route. The challenge now is to bridge the gap between ambition and reality: turning growing interest into clear, accessible pathways that place young people into the sectors where skills are needed most.
For those of us who have been banging the drum for vocational recognition, this direction of travel matters. The next test is delivery: turning national recognition into real local opportunities, with more high-quality vocational pathways, more employer engagement, and more visible celebrations of the people choosing technical routes.
Click here to join Vocational Celebration Day, and read the Independent article featuring Steph McGovern here.
