Stephen Morgan MP has today showed his support for colleges week, celebrating the contribution of Further Education (FE) Colleges to local students and businesses in Portsmouth.
The celebrations come as Labour Leader Keir Starmer has pledged to create new Technical Excellence Colleges, to equip young people with the skills that local businesses need to boost economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity.
Existing FE colleges will be supported to respond to locally agreed skills plans, working hand-in-hand with businesses to align skills and training provision with local need to ensure employers can source more of the skilled workers they need from local communities.
The City MP said new Technical Excellence Colleges will lead a decade of national renewal after Labour analysis revealed that apprenticeship starts have dropped by 28% in Portsmouth since 2017, with 1,570 people starting an apprenticeship in 2017, compared with just 1,130 in the last academic year.
Labour have already pledged to reform the Conservative’s failed apprenticeship levy into a ‘Growth and Skills Levy’, so it can be used on a greater range of training courses, giving businesses the flexibility they need to retrain and upskill their existing workforce as well as creating more opportunities for young people.
Commenting, Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan, said:
“The Conservatives have delivered more than a decade of decline in skills training, neglecting Portsmouth’s colleges and the vital role they play in boosting skills across our local economy.
“That’s why I’m proud that Labour will put colleges at the heart of our mission to break down the barriers to opportunity, delivering a new generation of Technical Excellence Colleges by supporting colleges to specialise in response to local employers’ skills needs.”
More training opportunities so people can gain new skills, access better jobs and grow our economy. That’s the difference that a Labour government will make.”
Mr Morgan has been a strong supporter of Portsmouth’s educational institutions, both in the constituency and his former role as Shadow Minister for Schools. He has visited every school in his constituency and will be visiting the City of Portsmouth College again in the coming days.
