KIDS as young as 12 will be pushed to pursue vocational careers as ministers plan to breed the next generation of skilled workers.
A new law will see all secondary pupils given careers advice stressing they do not have to follow a “traditional academic route” into university.
Even primary school children will be targeted by the workplace drive under a scheme to get them “inspired” about jobs from the age of five.
Britain is currently grappling with a labour shortage and is forced to rely on foreign workers to plug the gaps.
The Government wants to encourage fewer people to study pointless degrees and instead consider learning a trade.
I want to help young primary pupils with their warring parents
Strengthened support to be announced will see all Year 8-13 pupils given at least six meetings with technical providers so they can pursue apprenticeships.
Meanwhile hundreds of thousands of primary school children will benefit from training and guidance from independent providers to “inspire pupils about the world of work”.
More than 2,200 schools in 55 disadvantaged areas of the country will get careers advice from the Careers and Enterprise Company “so they learn about the variety of exciting career routes”.
Skills Minister Robert Halfon said: “To deliver the future workforce that this country needs, it is essential that careers advice and work experience helps young people from all backgrounds to climb the ladder of opportunity.
“The changes we are making to boost our careers programme will raise ambitions from an early age for thousands of children in primary schools across the country, while providing opportunities to unlock talent, think about skills, engage with employers and discover different workplaces.”