The UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer joined apprentices from McLaren Racing for a very special episode of the UCAS Choices podcast, produced by Audio Always on behalf of UCAS and Waterfall.
Recorded at the McLaren HQ in Woking in December, Starmer sat down with presenter Katie Thistleton to talk about the government’s new apprenticeship announcement. In a week when McLaren celebrated their first Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship in 17 years, the PM discussed:
- The government’s new emphasis on the values of apprenticeships – and new funding of just over £700 Million for 50,000 apprenticeships.
- The balance between apprenticeships, university degrees and other pathways.
- His personal advice for students making big decisions.
Audio Always is one of the UK’s leading independent production companies, developing and producing podcasts, radio programmes and audiobooks. Alongside the UCAS Choices podcast, their work includes the weekly podcasts Help I Sexted My Boss, The Girls Bathroom and UK True Crime. They also produce daily, weekly and ad hoc radio programmes including Craig Charles for BBC Radio 6 Music, Paddy McGuiness and OJ Borg for BBC Radio 2, Life Hacks for BBC Radio 1 and Selector Radio for The British Council. The company moved to a brand new office at Media City – with three new visual studios dedicated to both podcasting and audiobooks – in late 2025.
UCAS Choices is a podcast from UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, an independent charity and the UK’s shared admissions service for higher education. Commissioned by Waterfall, the education marketing agency, and produced by Audio Always – both based in MediaCity UK, Salford – the podcast aims to guide young people on their choices in further education, from university admissions through to degree apprenticeships.
Waterfall is an award-winning creative agency specialising in education and youth marketing. It has delivered sector-leading brands, campaigns and disruptive ideas for all kinds of challenges for organisations including UCAS, The University of Manchester, Aston University, University of Greenwich, Nottingham Trent University, Anglia Ruskin University, Universities UK International and more.
