Labour leader promises to get young people ready for work and
ready for life, as regional failure on skills makes a mockery of
Conservatives’ promise to spread opportunity
Labour leader, Sir has today announced a new
campaign to ensure young people leave education ready for work
and ready for life, supported by a Council of Skills Advisors to
rethink how we deliver an education fit for the 21st
century.
Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) annual
conference, Sir said the Council will:
“recommend the change we need to ensure everyone leaves education
job ready and life ready, … explore how to ensure that young
people are literate in the technology of the day” and “raise the
sights of all pupils” giving every young person new ambitions and
the belief they will achieve them.
The announcement comes as Labour analysis reveals that children
in Kensington and Chelsea are almost twice as likely as children
in Hull to achieve essential level 3 qualifications (A-level or
BTEC equivalent), with the Party warning that the Conservatives’
failure to deliver the skills and qualifications young people in
every region need makes a mockery of the promise to spread
opportunity.
Analysis of government data shows huge regional and local
inequalities in young people gaining essential qualifications
with children in London 31% more likely achieve this mark than
children in the North East.
, Labour’s Shadow Education
Secretary, said:
“Young people are ambitious, optimistic and excited for their
futures. Yet far too many are being let down by a Conservative
government that’s living in the past.
“Labour has set out plans, from embedding digital and life skills
in the curriculum to placing an expert careers advisor in every
school, to help set young people on the path that’s right for
them.
“I’m looking forward to working with our skills advisors to bring
together young people, employers, educators and parents to hear
how we can develop these plans to build the education and skills
we need for the future.”
Lord , Labour Skills
Advisor, said:
“I am very pleased to be able to continue contributing to
the critical debate about how we modernise and reform the
lifelong learning journey from schools through to progression in
work.
“Nothing can be more important than spreading what works,
embedding high-quality and inspirational teaching and learning,
and adapting a curriculum that provides motivation to young
people at every stage, and reassurance to employers that they
will have literate, numerate, creative and responsive employees
for the future.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green will be touring the
country with Labour’s new Skills Advisors Lord , and Praful Nargund,
engaging with employers, educators, parents and young people to
discuss what a skills system that equips young people for the
future should look like.
- Labour’s new Skills Advisors are:
-
- Young people in Hull are almost half as likely to achieve a
level 3 qualification by age 19 compared to young people in
Kensington and Chelsea (40% vs 76%).
Level 3 attainment by age 19, by Local Authority (Gov.uk)
- Young people in London are 31% more like to achieve a level 3
qualification by age 19 compared to young people in the North
East (Gov.uk)
|
Region
|
Level 3 attainment by age 19 (2019/20)
(%)
|
|
East Midlands
|
54
|
|
East of England
|
57
|
|
London
|
67
|
|
North East
|
51
|
|
North West
|
55
|
|
South East
|
59
|
|
South West
|
56
|
|
Yorkshire and The Humber
|
52
|
|
West Midlands
|
54
|
