Qualifications matter, but so do access to employment support, meaningful work experience and direct connections with employers. The objective should be broader than reducing welfare dependency: it should be to help every young person become an active and productive participant in the economy.

The principal challenge for ITPs is to move from being treated as downstream contractors to becoming strategic partners in local economic development, helping to create more coherent and flexible pathways into work and progression.

While GCSE results are stable and education reform is welcome, qualifications without a healthy labour market, entry-level jobs, and a functioning support system won't make a difference.