More Funding for University Technical Colleges

Today I asked a question to the Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, concerning Harlow's bid for a University Technical College (UTC).

Please read my question below:

Robert Halfon (Harlow): "The Education Secretary has won funding of more than £600Million for new Free-Schools. If there are enough good UTC bids, such as the bid from Harlow Hospital (Princess Alexandria Hospital), Anglo Ruskin University and Harlow College, would he consider using some of that £600Million to boost the number of new UTCs?"

Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Education): "Thanks to the generosity of the Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne), and not thanks to any negotiation skills on my behalf, there are sufficient resources within the Department of Education budget, to support high quality University Technical College submissions. And it will be on the quality of the bids that a decision is made."


by Robert Halfon - Working Hard for Harlow.

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