Heathrow has announced a new council to simultaneously take on major infrastructure projects and tackle the country’s NEET crisis
The new council has pledged to create a plan delivering 5,000 Heathrow youth apprenticeships, traineeships, and entry-level pathways as part of the airport’s expansion.
Nearly 1m young people are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) at a time when the construction industry is facing a skills crisis.
The council and its objective are endorsed by Alan Milburn
As chair of the Milburn Review, Alan Milburn has been commissioned by the government to lead an independent review into young people and work.
Of Heathrow’s proposal, he said: “Nearly one million young people in Britain are not in education, employment or training. Unless we act, we risk a lost generation of young people.
“Turning that around means giving young people a reason to believe there is a future for them in Britain’s economy. Major projects like Heathrow expansion have the potential to make a real difference by connecting young people who need jobs to opportunities, skills and experience that can change the course of their lives.
“I welcome this initiative from Heathrow and the creation of the Infrastructure Skills Council. If we can harness major infrastructure investment to give many more young people a stake in Britain’s future, that will be good for them and good for the future of our country. It is a win-win.”
Further job creation
Heathrow’s plans, alongside creating 5,000 apprenticeships, are also expected to unlock 108,000 jobs across the UK, in engineering, construction, logistics, sustainability, and the wider supply chain.
The council will be co-chaired by former education secretary and home secretary Lord Blunkett, and former skills and apprenticeships minister and the current executive director at Make UK, Robert Halfon.
They, along with the rest of the council, will identify the best practical measures not yet adopted at Heathrow and other major infrastructure projects to create job opportunities, then finalise their findings in a report with recommendations for the wider industry and government.
“We are at a watershed moment”
The massive Heathrow expansion programme has been in the works for a long time, and only in November last year was a specific plan selected, after more than a decade of discussion and debate.
Now, movement is finally being seen, as AtkinsRéalis and Turner & Townsend were both appointed as Portfolio Management Office (PMO) consultants in March.
Lord Blunkett, co-chair of the Heathrow Infrastructure Skills Council, said: “Given that the Government is serious about tackling youth unemployment and closing the skills gap, they must continue to progress nationally significant infrastructure projects with absolute urgency. We are at a watershed moment, with a pipeline of projects that could transform the lives of our young people.
“These projects, like Heathrow expansion, will not only deliver economic growth; they will create apprenticeships, training opportunities and pathways into skilled, rewarding jobs for the next generation.
“That is why I am proud to support this new Council, which will develop practical recommendations to ensure these opportunities are fully realised. Our ambition must be not only to build the infrastructure Britain needs, but to recognise that this cannot be done without building the workforce that will deliver it.”
Robert Halfon, executive director at Make UK and co-chair of the Infrastructure Skills Council, said: “Large and vital infrastructure projects create significant opportunities for young people. But opportunity only works if there are clear pathways in—through apprenticeships and technical training that lead to real jobs.
“The skills ladder matters here. We need young people moving from school into structured training that actually connects to these projects, with clear progression and decent careers. The Infrastructure Skills Council is working to join those dots between employer demand, major projects, and the training routes that will fill them.
“That’s how we build the infrastructure Britain needs and the workforce to deliver it.”
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