Technical Education and Apprenticeships Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Baker of Dorking
Main Page: Lord Baker of Dorking (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Baker of Dorking's debates with the Department for Education
(8 years ago)
Lords ChamberThat is certainly right. We know, for example, that the number of learners in further education studying for qualifications at level 4 and above has gone down by 3,800. This was partly because there was, perhaps, a little too much emphasis on the higher education side. A balancing out is needed and our advertisements, and our work with parents, schools and the university technical colleges—which I suspect my noble friend Lord Baker is about to ask me about—are playing a part.
I thank my noble friend for the introduction. Is the Minister aware that university technical colleges now send 44% of their students to technical universities—more than the national average—and that they produce 30% of apprenticeships, which is higher than the national average of 8%? If we are to close the skills gap, we must produce more technical home-grown talent. The only way to do that is to expand university technical colleges.