The greatest Conservative Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, once observed, “Upon the education of the people…the future of this country depends.” Those words ring as true today as when first spoken. Yet for far too long, vocational education has been treated as the lesser cousin of academic pursuits. Yet, skills, craft, and practical competencies are every bit as valuable and fulfilling.
For decades, I have argued that vocational accomplishments must stand on, at least, an equal footing with academic qualifications. The bricklayer’s trowel and the mechanic’s spanner are as esteemed as the pen, and, arguably, as instruments of discipline and imagination, more distinguished.
So, Government Ministers' recent recognition that we cannot build a fair and flourishing nation without the rejuvenation of practical learning is welcome. My concern is that the proposed reforms won’t go far enough, for unless they deliver a genuine cultural shift, new measures risk joining a long list of well-intentioned but half-realised initiatives.
As Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, I made my mission the restoration of vocational skills. Indeed, one of my proudest achievements is that, during my tenure, apprenticeships rose to their highest levels in modern history – for education must nourish the hand, as well as the head. The truth remains that Britain cannot hope to meet its ambitions for housebuilding, industry, or growth without a workforce equipped with the right skills. Lofty targets mean little without trained craftspeople to turn aims into achievements. In essence: we must elevate the practical.
Just as significant as policy is perception. A culture which has prized university degrees above technical skill, thus steering young people towards academia even when their tastes and talents lie elsewhere, has eroded opportunities. Worse still, because a good deal of what is taught at some universities lacks academic rigour and leads nowhere, many graduates are left with immense debt and little chance of gainful employment. The result is a widening gap between what our economy needs and what our education system delivers. The consequence is a generation of young people, who either feel undervalued because their skills are practical or disillusioned knowing their degree is virtually worthless.
It was this imbalance that I sought to address in Government, commissioning independent research which proved that, typically, someone with a level three apprenticeship earns more over a lifetime than the average graduate.
Here in South Holland, having met countless apprentices, I’ve been inspired by stories of perseverance, achievement and pride. They know that mastery of craft brings the dignity of fulfilment alongside the opportunity of employment.
The Government’s so-called ‘V-levels’ must be more than a rhetorical rebrand, rather marking the revitalisation of respect for technical excellence. Locally, the work of colleges, private training providers and employers, is nurturing a new generation of skilled Britons – men and women whose hands and minds will help rebuild our nation’s purpose and prosperity.
Yet despite these promising local efforts, the national outlook is disturbing. The Recruitment and Education Foundation has warned that with staff demand rising by 10 per cent, a restricted labour supply could cut expected GDP and productivity by 1.2 per cent by 2027 – a loss to the UK economy of between £30 and £39 billion each year.
Restoring pride in skills is the means by which Britian can again be the workshop of the world, with goods made here replacing shoddy imports. Only when vocational learning, and the competence it brings, stand proud will we unleash the full strength of our nation’s, our people’s, immense potential.
