Sir Keir Starmer has appeared on a special episode of the UCAS Choices podcast, joining apprentices from McLaren Racing for a conversation recorded at the team’s headquarters in Woking.
The episode was recorded on Monday 8 December and sees the Prime Minister sit down with presenter Katie Thistleton to discuss the government’s latest apprenticeship announcement, during a landmark week for McLaren as the team celebrated its first Formula One Drivers’ World Championship in seventeen years.
During the discussion, Sir Keir set out the government’s renewed emphasis on the value of apprenticeships, alongside new funding of just over seven hundred million pounds aimed at creating fifty thousand apprenticeship opportunities across the UK this year.
He also spoke about the balance between apprenticeships, university degrees and other post-school pathways, stressing the importance of young people understanding the full range of options available before making major decisions about their future.
Sir Keir shared personal advice for students weighing up those choices, reflecting on how different routes can suit different skills, ambitions and learning styles, particularly at a time when employers are increasingly focused on practical experience alongside academic qualifications.
The UCAS Choices podcast is produced by Audio Always on behalf of UCAS and Waterfall, and is designed to help young people navigate decisions around further and higher education, from traditional university courses to degree apprenticeships and alternative routes.
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is an independent charity and the UK’s shared admissions service for higher education, working with schools, colleges and universities to support students through the application process.
The podcast is commissioned by Waterfall, the education marketing agency based in MediaCity UK, Salford, which works with a wide range of universities and education organisations on campaigns aimed at reaching young people with clear, accessible information.
The episode is also available on YouTube.
