This week’s announcement that all young people will have access to technical education pathways and meaningful employer engagement from the age of 14 has the potential to be one of the most significant education reforms in a generation. It requires a change in the way schools think about their purpose; changing their focus to the destinations and future employment of their students, while maintaining the myriad of other roles played by modern schools. If implemented well, it could help tackle the rising number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), change communities and address the skills shortages that continue to hold back economic growth. The government deserves real credit for recognising that technical education should sit alongside academic education as an equally ambitious and respected route. It is also a powerful endorsement of an approach that has already been proven. For nearly 20 years, the 44 University Technical Colleges (UTCs), supported by Baker Dearing Educational Trust, have been delivering employer-guided technical education from the age of 14 across England. They combine academic study with technical learning, local and national employer partnerships and provide clear progression routes into apprenticeships, higher education and skilled careers. Rather than starting from scratch, the government has the opportunity to build on the UTC model that is already delivering strong outcomes for thousands of young people. Baker Dearing and the UTC network stand ready to help. We have spent nearly two decades developing curricula, employer partnerships, teacher development and quality assurance that could help schools introduce these new pathways more quickly and with confidence. This is already being demonstrated in the schools in Greater Manchester and Barrow-in-Furness adopting the ‘UTC Sleeve’ model, which builds employer supported, technical pathways into existing secondary schools. Alternatively, the 14-16 provision offered by colleges has offered a fresh start in education for many young people who have struggled with old-fashioned academic learning. This provision could also be applied in certain schools. However, we believe the UTC model could work across a much wider span of education settings. Andy Burnham understands the value of the UTC approach. Working with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Baker Dearing helped develop the technical framework that underpins the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) Award, ensuring that employer engagement, technical learning and workplace skills are rewarded alongside academic achievement. As Greater Manchester expands its technical education offer, UTCs and the new UTC Sleeve model will continue to play an important role in supporting the ambitions of the MBacc. This spirit of collaboration should now be reflected nationally. Baker Dearing, UTC leaders and employer partners would welcome the opportunity to work with government, combined authorities, schools and Ofsted to help shape the framework for these new technical pathways. We do not need to reinvent technical education – we need to build on what has already been shown to work. The ambition is welcome. The next challenge is delivery. For example, there is a shortage of teachers with the right technical experience and knowledge, something that Baker Dearing has rectified for UTCs by developing an engineering training programme, supported by the Gene Haas Foundation and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851; heavyweight sponsors with deep links in industry. We also work with Zen Educate who source teachers with experience of industry and develop our own teachers through a SCITT (school-centred initial teacher training) lead by the oldest UTC, The JCB Academy. To achieve the scale that Burnham’s vision requires will need much more investment in innovative training and recruitment methods. Schools will also need capital funding to deliver these new opportunities. New workshops and specialist classrooms will need equipment that matches what is used in industry, so students can learn on the tools they will use in the workplace. With the right investment, employer partnerships and support for teachers, England has an opportunity to create a world-class technical education system that gives every young person access to high-quality technical learning and a clear route into skilled employment. Become a member for unlimited access to FE Week subscribe Our members enjoy early access to exclusive content and in-depth articles before anyone else. Get expert journalism on FE and skills, experience fewer ads, and unlock a growing range of member benefits.