This week the government approved the creation of a further 15 University Technical Colleges (UTCs), bringing the total to 34. These are state secondary schools for 14- to 19-year-olds that will focus on technical and applied learning. Backed by universities and businesses, they include an engineering school in Warwick supported by Jaguar Land Rover, and a school in Salford supported by media giants such as the BBC and ITV.
The creation of UTCs should be welcomed. There is growing evidence that our economy will require more workers with high-level technical skills over the coming years. The number of technicians reaching retirement age means that around 450,000 technician jobs will be created in the next eight years, and UTCs are one way to help strengthen the pathways into these careers. They can also provide a change of scene for those students who have become disengaged with more traditional school life.
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