MP Gareth Snell welcomes government funding for Stoke-on-Trent College

Funding is set to be allocated to Stoke-on-Trent to provide hands-on learning and boost employability for learners who start their construction courses from this September.

The construction industry faces significant shortages, with the latest Office for National Statistics figures showing that there are over 35,000 job vacancies - over half of which are due to a lack of required skills.

Labour is taking action to bring vocational education on par with academic. It has published a plan to support schools and colleges to transition to a clearer system of V Levels, T Levels and A Levels from 2027 as options after GCSEs, along with two new qualifications for lower attaining students to support them to progress beyond GCSEs.

New subjects have been announced to address skills shortages and boost key industries such as housebuilding. These subjects include construction design, bricklaying and plumbing.

For 16-year-olds who are not quite ready to progress beyond GCSEs, there are two new qualifications:

• Occupational Certificates: two year courses for those who want to get into work or an apprenticeship but need support to achieve English and Maths GCSEs.

• Foundation Certificates: one-year courses for students who want to progress to A-levels, T-levels or V-levels but need extra support to pass their GCSEs.

Gareth Snell MP, Labour and Cooperative Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent Central said:

“A housebuilding revolution requires a skills revolution, and this investment into Stoke-on-Trent College puts our area at the centre of it.

“I warmly welcome the shake up of the education system - at last, putting hands on skills on a par with academic routes. People in Stoke-on-Trent have an abundance of both and both deserved to be championed.

“After years of drift and decline, this government is cracking on. Building homes for families and opportunity for young people.”

Announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, V Levels will sit alongside A Levels and T Levels. Equivalent to one A Level, they will allow students to mix and match academic and vocational subjects if they do not yet know where they want to specialise.

New guidance has also been published, removing the red tape around T Level industry placements to help more young people access premium placements and empowering businesses to offer placements that work for everyone.

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