Principals of further education colleges across Liverpool city region tell Chancellor Jeremy Hunt he must increase funding for skills. Tony McDonough reports
Further education colleges across Liverpool city region are joining forces to urge Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to increase funding for skills in next week’s Spring Statement.
According to think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies, colleges funding is now below what it was in 2010. This is a particular issue for Liverpool city region where multiple business sectors bemoan the shortage of skilled workers.
Funding cuts mean spending per pupil in 2024-25 will still be around 5% below 2010-11 levels and for adult students it is 22% below 2009–10 levels. FE principals say more funding for technical education is urgently needed.
Sue Higginson, principal of Wirral Met College, who is also a member of the board of the Association of Colleges, was one of a number of FE college heads who met with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Shadow Employment Minister Alison McGovern.
“We continue to raise concerns about the significant lack of investment required to enable the FE Colleges to play a full part in the development of education and skills, required for a healthy economy,” she said
The event supported the Mind the Skills Gap campaign, which has been launched by the Future Skills Coalition.”
With job vacancies at near record levels of more 1m, according to the Office for National Statistics, businesses are struggling to fill posts. This is hampering their ability to grow, which in turn harms the health of the local and national economy.
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Mind the Skills Gap aims to highlight the important role colleges and other further education providers play in giving people the skills they need to enter these often specialist jobs. Colleges could do even more with greater funding.
Mr Rotheram added: “Here in the Liverpool city region, our colleges work day in, day out to equip our young people with the skills they will need for the jobs of tomorrow. They are vital part of our plans for a high skill, high wage local economy in the future.
“But since 2010, these vital training providers have been starved of investment and as a country, we are now paying the price, with job vacancies at a record high.
“Ahead of the budget on March 15, the Chancellor needs to listen to what our college leaders are telling him – and increase funding for technical education so that people here about to enter the world of work can be trained for the opportunities that are there for them.”