Ministers urged to expand schools turning the tide on youth unemployment crisis

Ministers have been urged to fund an expansion of a network of technical education secondary schools where over 90 per cent of leavers entered employment or university this summer and just five per cent became NEET.

Technical education charity the Baker Dearing Educational Trust has today released data on the destinations achieved by year 13 students who left England’s 44 University Technical Colleges this summer.

The data is being released on the final day of #thinkUTC week, an annual celebration of the UTCs which this year ran between 17 and 21 November.

This also comes after the Office for National Statistics revealed that 12.7 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds were NEET in July to September, demonstrating what a valuable part of the education sector UTCs have become.

In the run-up to #thinkUTC week, an independent report into the UTC programme was published by the influential think tank Policy Exchange on 13 November.

This urged ministers to pilot ten UTC Sleeves in areas that have been prioritised for economic growth. UTC Sleeves, a Baker Dearing initiative, connect onto existing schools, enabling them to expand their offer to include high-quality, employer-led technical pathways that mirror the educational provision in existing UTCs.

The report also encouraged ministers to consider opening new UTCs when they are planning new secondary schools, to enhance the local educational mix.

UTC students progress to fulfilling careers and stay in them

Almost a fifth of UTC leavers progressed onto apprenticeships this summer – 99 per cent of which were A Level equivalent courses or better.

Sixty-three per cent of those apprenticeships were at Level 4 or above, including prestigious degree apprenticeships, which have proven to be harder to secure than Russell Group university places.

Fifty-one per cent of UTC Y13 leavers progressed to university, of which 73 per cent progressed to a STEM course and 15 per cent progressed to a Russell Group institution.

Fourteen per cent progressed to employment, seven per cent to further education, and just five per cent became NEET (not in education, employment, or training), or their destination was unknown.

The figures demonstrate how a UTC education – with a curriculum designed and delivered with local and national employers – helps young people progress to positive destinations.

The Policy Exchange report also found UTC leavers were 1.5 percentage points more likely to stay on their apprenticeship, university course, or job than the national average.

UTC students play important role in re-engaging young people, report reads

The Policy Exchange report, which received coverage in the Express, POLITICO’s London Playbook newsletter, and on LBC, also revealed:

  • At 18, students from UTCs are more than two and a half times more likely to enter apprenticeships than the national average.
  • UTCs play an important role in re-engaging young people in education. UTCs have higher proportions of students eligible for free school meals and half of the schools are in areas of high deprivation, but they have fewer NEETs.
  • UTCs have established a track record of supporting and transforming the lives of young people through technical education.

The report was endorsed by former education secretaries David (Lord) Blunkett and Gillian Keegan, and the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson in the Lords, Mike (Lord) Storey, as well as Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Cambridgeshire mayor Paul Bristow.

Chief Executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust Kate Ambrosi commented:

“This destinations data adds to the mountain of evidence that UTCs help progress young people to fulfilling careers and higher learning, contributing to the pipeline of talent into industry.

“It also shows the resilience of UTCs, amid an uncertain economic environment and rising costs for businesses. These could so easily lead to a decline in career opportunities for young people. Yet this data shows employers are still eager to employ the young professionals that UTCs produce.

“UTCs are a holistic solution to so many of the country’s challenges: youth unemployment, skills gaps, economic growth. We fully endorse Policy Exchange’s recommendations for a UTC Sleeve pilot and for minister to consider opening new UTCs.

“This will mean more young people and, as important, more businesses can benefit from a UTC education. We are confident this will lead to growth and youth employment opportunities.”

Ministers urged to expand schools turning the tide on youth unemployment crisis

Ministers have been urged to fund an expansion of a network of technical education secondary schools where over 90 per cent of leavers entered employment or university this summer and just five per cent became NEET.

Technical education charity the Baker Dearing Educational Trust has today released data on the destinations achieved by year 13 students who left England’s 44 University Technical Colleges this summer.

The data is being released on the final day of #thinkUTC week, an annual celebration of the UTCs which this year ran between 17 and 21 November.

This also comes after the Office for National Statistics revealed that 12.7 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds were NEET in July to September, demonstrating what a valuable part of the education sector UTCs have become.

In the run-up to #thinkUTC week, an independent report into the UTC programme was published by the influential think tank Policy Exchange on 13 November.

This urged ministers to pilot ten UTC Sleeves in areas that have been prioritised for economic growth. UTC Sleeves, a Baker Dearing initiative, connect onto existing schools, enabling them to expand their offer to include high-quality, employer-led technical pathways that mirror the educational provision in existing UTCs.

The report also encouraged ministers to consider opening new UTCs when they are planning new secondary schools, to enhance the local educational mix.

UTC students progress to fulfilling careers and stay in them

Almost a fifth of UTC leavers progressed onto apprenticeships this summer – 99 per cent of which were A Level equivalent courses or better.

Sixty-three per cent of those apprenticeships were at Level 4 or above, including prestigious degree apprenticeships, which have proven to be harder to secure than Russell Group university places.

Fifty-one per cent of UTC Y13 leavers progressed to university, of which 73 per cent progressed to a STEM course and 15 per cent progressed to a Russell Group institution.

Fourteen per cent progressed to employment, seven per cent to further education, and just five per cent became NEET (not in education, employment, or training), or their destination was unknown.

The figures demonstrate how a UTC education – with a curriculum designed and delivered with local and national employers – helps young people progress to positive destinations.

The Policy Exchange report also found UTC leavers were 1.5 percentage points more likely to stay on their apprenticeship, university course, or job than the national average.

UTC students play important role in re-engaging young people, report reads

The Policy Exchange report, which received coverage in the Express, POLITICO’s London Playbook newsletter, and on LBC, also revealed:

  • At 18, students from UTCs are more than two and a half times more likely to enter apprenticeships than the national average.
  • UTCs play an important role in re-engaging young people in education. UTCs have higher proportions of students eligible for free school meals and half of the schools are in areas of high deprivation, but they have fewer NEETs.
  • UTCs have established a track record of supporting and transforming the lives of young people through technical education.

The report was endorsed by former education secretaries David (Lord) Blunkett and Gillian Keegan, and the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson in the Lords, Mike (Lord) Storey, as well as Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Cambridgeshire mayor Paul Bristow.

Chief Executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust Kate Ambrosi commented:

“This destinations data adds to the mountain of evidence that UTCs help progress young people to fulfilling careers and higher learning, contributing to the pipeline of talent into industry.

“It also shows the resilience of UTCs, amid an uncertain economic environment and rising costs for businesses. These could so easily lead to a decline in career opportunities for young people. Yet this data shows employers are still eager to employ the young professionals that UTCs produce.

“UTCs are a holistic solution to so many of the country’s challenges: youth unemployment, skills gaps, economic growth. We fully endorse Policy Exchange’s recommendations for a UTC Sleeve pilot and for minister to consider opening new UTCs.

“This will mean more young people and, as important, more businesses can benefit from a UTC education. We are confident this will lead to growth and youth employment opportunities.”

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