On Wednesday 13th July, Anna Firth MP spoke in the Westminster Hall Debate on the ‘Provision of careers guidance in schools’.
The Debate looked at the advice that school students receive on training and work opportunities after they finish their GCSEs. Anna sits on the Parliamentary Education Select Committee, which has been looking into the options open to students post-16.
Over the past few weeks, Anna has hosted several work experience students from schools all over Southend West. She has found it a brilliant insight to the way they are taught and the advice they receive.
The Government has introduced some brilliant new initiatives for training young people. T-Levels were launched last year, and provide students with a high-quality technical qualification with the same status and prestige as A-Levels. These brand new two-year technical courses combine classroom study with on-the-job training as part of a substantial industry placement lasting at least 315 hours. Degree Apprenticeships, which enable people to gain a full undergraduate or master’s degree while they work. These apprenticeships have all the benefits of degree education, plus the perks of receiving a salary and walking straight into a career.
Unfortunately, none of the work-experience students that have worked with Anna had not received information on the options open to them, other than A-Levels and traditional university courses.
Anna said in the debate,
“Whilst university is the right path for a lot of people, it is not the right answer for everyone, and we really must focus more effort and resources on the 50% of children who are not going to university”.
Commenting after the Debate, Anna said,
“Our youth is the core of our society, we must back and support them wherever we can to ensure we continue to thrive. These new and un-orthodox methods of education provide alternatives to students who find university is not for them. I really want to push for more degree apprenticeships and T-Levels in Southend West, because I only want the best for our children”.
A full copy of Anna's speech can be found here.
