Following the Prime Minister’s announcement today that 14-year-olds will be able to get early access to technical education and employer engagement opportunities, the Baker Dearing Educational Trust has issued the following response from CEO Kate Ambrosi.
You can read Kate’s comment in The Manufacturer article on the announcement here.
Kate said: “We are thrilled that the government is adopting a model of delivering high-quality technical education starting at 14 – which our network of University Technical College secondary schools has been delivering for nearly 20 years.
“UTCs are developed with local employers from the ground up so the technical and employability skills and knowledge that students learn is relevant to their local industries.
“We are already helping mainstream schools offer transformative technical education through our UTC Sleeve initiative. This is a technical pathway that sits beside the school’s academic route and, like the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate with which we have supported Andy Burnham, improves lines of sight between the classroom and workplace.
“The UTC model demonstrably helps young people thrive in work and life. Each year, around a fifth of year 13 UTC leavers progress to apprenticeships, compared to six per cent nationally. In 2025, half of the apprenticeships started by UTC leavers were higher or degree level, compared to two per cent nationally. Just five per cent of UTC leavers become NEET, versus ten per cent.
“This government has made an excellent start to building parity of esteem between technical and academic education. But we will need more apprenticeships, technical university courses, and bursaries for shortage occupations to meet this country’s skills needs and properly bring down youth unemployment.
“Schools must also be provided with the proper funding, resourcing and guidance to deliver high-quality technical education that truly meets local employer need. Baker Dearing is ready to support ministers and schools to effectively implement these new pathways.”
