As the GCSE exam period is well underway, this is no doubt a nervous time for many of our young people. With all the revision done, coursework in the bag and it now being down to the exams, I wish all who are sitting, the very best. If you feel anything like did when I sat my exams, it will be a huge sense of relief when they are all over!
There are so many choices that those aged 15-16 will be making, not least about their future careers, and what type of educational offering will best serve them in their endeavours. It is so important that locally there is a choice for people to follow the path they want. Perhaps more importantly, for those unsure about the next steps there must be a real variety on offer. No two people are the same, so there needs to be different options to help every person succeed in life.
These points are relevant given a recent announcement from the Government regarding T-Levels. Before I carry on, I appreciate the term ‘T-Level’ is not universal, so allow me to explain. They are new courses which follow GCSEs, carrying the same level of qualification as three A-Levels. Over two years, students will get a mixture of classroom learning and industry experience, involving 45 days on a job placement. The courses themselves are designed through close cooperation with employers, so they provide young people with the specific skills and knowledge they need to get a job or go on to further study.
This month, I was delighted to see the Government announce a huge rollout in T-Levels, following their introduction last autumn. At the start of the next school year, there will be over 175 colleges offering T-Levels, with a provisional list of 160 new qualifications on offer.
This is really exciting news, not just for me, but for our area. In Keighley and Ilkley, we are home to some of the finest manufacturing, engineering, and tech companies in the country, and these are exactly the sort of industries which T-Levels are designed for. These companies are so passionate about giving local young people the best chances by ensuring they are equipped with the skills to be successful in life. They take great pride in showing people how to deliver these skills in their own way, taught on site by people who are experts in their craft.
I regularly visit these companies and see first-hand how they are doing this. Look at Byworth Boilers, a family-run company in their third generation of family management, who provide apprenticeships to local people and give them that hands-on experience on the shop floor which serves as a catapult for a great career. You can also see this at Wyedean Weavers, Haworth’s oldest employer, who provide ceremonial uniform to, amongst others, the Ministry of Defence and United Nations. When I met with them, I learnt of their culture of investing in people; as a company they really believe in giving young people the time and training they need. The hunger and desire from local companies to support young people is clearly there, and I am delighted the Government are matching this through the T-Level rollout.
Not only will this be of benefit for local companies, but local education providers as well. Of course, there is nothing wrong with doing A-Levels and then going to university, but A- Levels are not for everyone, indeed neither is university for everyone. We need to remove the stigma of doing vocational based learning. In my view, we are still suffering from a hangover from the Blair years where going to university was presented as the best option for young people. This has hindered further education providers, such as the excellent Keighley College, with too many people unaware of their fantastic offering. T-Levels, designed in conjunction between employers and colleges, will create a new way to offer this service and allow more joined up thinking between local businesses leaders and education providers. Not only that, but we will also be able to keep skilled young people right here in Keighley and Ilkley, with T-Levels giving them the opportunity for a first-class education offering on their doorstep.
I am so excited to see the next step in the rollout of world class T-Levels. Before their initial introduction last year, I remember meeting with then-Skills Minister Gillian Keegan at the Department for Education, herself a former apprentice. Her excitement and passion for how T-Levels would transform areas like ours was amazing, and I cannot wait to see the impact T-Levels will have in creating opportunities for local young people.
