A University Technical School for Harlow

Regular readers will know that I recently asked the Prime Minister if he supported Harlow College - and their strong bid to have one of the first University Technical Colleges in the country.

UTCs will be new vocational schools for those aged 14-19 that wil focus on pre apprenticeships.  They will be free of charge and prepare young people for apprenticeships once they leave.

In the Budget, the Government announced that there would be 24 UTCs across England.  I, together with many parents and students would welcome a UTC in Harlow.

David Cameron’s reply was really encouraging: he said that he was very hopeful that Harlow College’s bid would be successful.

The Prime Minister is the latest senior Government figure to back the bid, after Education Secretary Michael Gove made his support clear on Monday this week.  I have secured a promise from Mr Gove to visit the College in the coming months:

“to see what we can do to advance the very exciting plans for a university technical college".

The bid is also backed by the former Education Secretary Lord Baker, who is leading the scheme nationally and has already visited Harlow College.  Last week Lord Baker visited the College for a second time, to discuss the UTC plans still further.  In order to progress, the UTC needs backing from a University and a major business.  There is every hope that this will be achieved.

I have been working hard for many months to support the College, and have also called for a debate in Parliament on UTCs. I also tabled a Parliamentary Motion, welcoming the extra funding in the 2011 Budget that will turn this vision into a reality.

The fact that there will be at least 250,000 extra apprenticeships over the next few years, is great news.

I am also the first MP to employ an Harlow apprentice because I believe that apprenticeships are not just about economic efficiency, they are about social justice too.

But we urgently need more vocational training - through centres like a new UTC at Harlow College - to help supply the skills and jobs that Harlow needs.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Technical Schools

It is good to see that Lord Ken Baker, former Education Secretary, has been tasked by the Coalition Government with reviving Technical Schools. Lord Baker's vision, which he has argued for over many years, is that such schools, will be available for young people from the age of 14-19 and will focus primarily on vocational education. The schools would be fitted out so that students were able to train on skills such as electricals, plumbing and carpentry. Not only would they be sponsored by local businesses, and provide grounding for future apprentices, but students would also get practical experience by embarking on pre-apprenticeship. Diplomas would be granted instead of GSCEs in order to prepare the students for work, or Higher Education.

The advantage of technical schools is huge. For the first time, students who wanted to follow the vocational route to getting qualifications, would at last have the educational facilities and needs suitable to them. The schools would also create a conveyer belt to apprenticeships and do much to change the apprentice-sceptic culture that exists in so many of our academic establishments. These students qualifications would have the same value of an academic based degree.

You can read more as to what Lord Baker is suggesting HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com