NewsPoliticsPoliticsFormer Labour Cabinet minister Lord David Blunkett writes for The Mirror after Alan Milburn published his 'devasating' report into the million young people out of work or education14:45, 31 May 2026Updated 00:01, 01 Jun 2026As the devastating analysis by former Health Secretary, Alan Milburn, demonstrated in his interim report published last Thursday, there is a crisis for a whole generation of young people.‌Over a million 16-24- year-olds in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training. The industries that employed their parents and grandparents are disappearing, and workplaces all over the UK are changing.‌Britain is at a pivotal moment as it embarks on the largest infrastructure building programmes in a lifetime. From the Lower Thames Crossing to Heathrow expansion, there is a pipeline of transformative projects, and the Government’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy proposes £725 billion in investment. I believe that this strategy, supported by businesses, government, local authorities and educational institutions working together, is key to solving this crisis of unemployment.Article continues belowMilburn has highlighted the importance of better routes from school into work, stronger technical and vocational options, proper work experience, and employers who open doors for young people. Major infrastructure projects provide a clear answer to each of those calls. Work is about far more than earning a living; it builds confidence and gives people purpose – and what better than contributing to crucial infrastructure? These projects require a whole new workforce and can put young people at the heart of the country’s future. According to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, the infrastructure pipeline will need a construction workforce of up to 706,000 over the next five years. I am reminded of President Roosevelt and the young Americans locked out of economic prospects in the 1930s. Roosevelt’s solution was to build, and the New Deal gave that generation a stake in the future of their country. In 1997, the Labour government took on a more modest challenge of ensuring learning and earning for a quarter of a million youngsters, working with employers and education providers. Britain is now at a similar juncture, and investment in skills will be vital. This is not merely an economic policy, but a social one. In my role advising Heathrow on skills and careers, I have seen firsthand the importance of infrastructure in the community. Projects like Heathrow expansion present a valuable opportunity to train more apprentices and create thousands more jobs for local people, both during and after construction. The Labour Government has placed infrastructure investment at the heart of its growth strategy, and rightly so. They can’t afford to delay projects that can create genuine opportunities for young people. We have a unique moment to invest both in Britain’s future prosperity and those taking the first step on the ladder to self-reliance.David BlunkettDavid Blunkett was Labour Home Secretary, 2001-2004Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Labour PartyAlan MilburnEducationSchoolsPoliticsDavid Blunkett