Movers & Shakers
Tom Pursglove
The Apprenticeship Advantage - Tom Pursglove on Closing the Skills Gap and Redefining Success
🎧 Listen to the full episode now to hear Toms story, insights, and advice in his own words.
Welcome to another episode of Movers & Shakers
In our latest episode of Movers & Shakers, we sit down with former Minister Tom Pursglove to take a holistic look at the state of apprenticeships in the UK. With a career that has spanned the Home Office and the Department for Work and Pensions, Pursglove shares his passionate belief that the traditional “academic-only” route is a myth that needs to be dismantled for the sake of our economy.
The Parity of Esteem
A central theme of our conversation was the need for “parity” between university degrees and vocational training. Pursglove reflects on his own school days, noting the “broad expectation… that people needed to go down that academic route… to succeed”. He argues that this focus is misplaced:
“There are many, many routes to success… people can have great careers earning really good money with good job security” in the trades.
Breaking Barriers for SMEs
One of the most pressing questions we explored was why small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often hesitate to hire apprentices. Pursglove identifies awareness as the single biggest hurdle. He notes that while many businesses have the desire to grow, they often lack the “know-how” and “confidence” to navigate the system.
We also touched on the critical funding changes that took place in April 2024, where apprenticeship training for many became 100% funded. Pursglove emphasized that businesses “can’t afford not to embrace this agenda,” especially given the government’s ambitious targets for infrastructure and housing.
The Shift to a Domestic Labor Force
With shifting immigration policies, Pursglove highlights a significant turning point for the construction and furniture industries. As visa numbers reduce, there will be a “greater reliance on the domestic labor force in order to meet skills needs”. This makes the “upskilling” of the existing workforce and the recruitment of local apprentices more than just a social good—it is a business necessity.
Advice for the Industry
When asked about retention—specifically the fear that a trained apprentice might leave to start a competing business—Pursglove offers a perspective rooted in culture:
“If people feel like they’re valued, if people feel like they’re rewarded… that pays dividends for your business”.
He suggests that even if a trainee eventually moves on, the partnership and innovation they bring in the interim are invaluable to a company’s dynamism.
Key Takeaways from the Transcript:
- On Leadership: “If you’re a leader and you’ve done that complete journey up through the ranks, that makes you an even better leader”.
- On Government’s Role: While government provides the infrastructure, the “most powerful advocacy… is from the young person perhaps benefiting”.
- On Growth: “Wealth creation, entrepreneurship is what public services get on the back of”.
Check out the full episode to hear Tom’s “nuggets of advice” and a few amusing “hair-raising” stories from his time in the ministerial spotlight, including the importance of always keeping your speech notes close at hand.
