Having the opportunity to build a decent life for yourself is something I want to see afforded to every single resident of Burnley and Padiham. It’s why you’ll see me pushing for investment in our local infrastructure, beating the drum for our local businesses, and making sure we get the resources we need for one of the most fundamental parts of levelling up: education and skills.
Since 2019 we’ve seen some major developments in this field. From the physical expansion of Burnley College who are now able to offer a much wider selection of courses, to the ongoing building works you can see on Westgate currently taking place through the Levelling Up Funding we’ve secured. The transformation of the old Newtown Mill into a state-of-the-art higher education complex will be game changing. And so, whilst I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’re making, it’s clear we need to turbo charge our efforts in this vital area.
The introduction of the new T-Level qualification is changing the way education works, creating courses specifically aligned to what employers are looking for. New courses in cyber security are training people for the jobs of the future. And by widening the scope of apprenticeships we are giving young people the inhouse training they need to start a successful career.
This week I had the opportunity to air much of this, including our vision for the facilities Burnley and Padiham needs. Sitting down with the Education Secretary at a roundtable in Downing Street I discussed the approach to getting young people into the right route for them. We spoke about the apprenticeship levy and how best to engage with cutting edge companies to take on and train school leavers. And how by becoming an Institute of Technology, Burnley College will ensure that our area stays front and centre when it comes to courses like engineering.
But most importantly we spoke about the new apprenticeships that are being rolled out in areas such as teaching, medicine and even law – all subjects previously only available through a traditional university course. Having the ability to train through the apprenticeship route brings massive benefits, not least that of cost to those studying.
Having seen first-hand the positive impact this style of learning brings I will always be a major advocate for apprenticeships. And am welcoming their expansion. Education is a burning passion of mine. It plays a significant part in why I became involved in politics and I’ll continue to do what I can to improve it.
