Apprenticeships

Labour is rebalancing opportunities towards young people, giving them the skills they need to get on. Apprenticeship starts, achievements and participation are all up under this Government. From August, we are introducing foundation apprenticeships to support young people into careers in critical sectors, such as construction and health and social care.

I feel sure that the Minister is aware that the outstanding West Suffolk college in Bury St Edmunds, with more than 10,000 enrolled students, is part of the outstanding Eastern Education Group, under the leadership of Nikos Savvas. Does she agree that West Suffolk college is an outstanding candidate to be awarded the status of being the construction technical college of excellence for the east of England? That would boost skills in construction, which are crucial for the new West Suffolk hospital and the Sizewell C construction site, which is the largest construction site in Europe.

I thank my hon. Friend for his questions and, indeed, for his lobbying. Labour’s technical excellence colleges will be crucial to our plans to rewire our school system to unlock opportunity for young people and drive growth for our country. My hon. Friend is right: West Suffolk College is an outstanding provider, and I am sure that its remarkable achievements will be considered during the selection of our technical excellence colleges.

Degree apprenticeships are great for social mobility and for matching skills to the economy, and I am such a fan of them that I created one in my parliamentary office. Would the Secretary of State like to take the time for congratulate Jack Kellas, who has achieved not just a distinction in his apprenticeship but a first-class honours degree from the University of Lincoln, and will she do all that she can to ensure that more people have opportunities to take part in degree apprenticeships and achieve the same success as Jack?

I thank the hon. Member for sharing Jack Kellas’s wonderful achievement. Level 6 apprenticeships are a core part of our offer, and we continue to fund them.