A surge in the teenage population and big demand for technical education courses might sound like great news for colleges. But government funding decisions have burdened such opportunity with financial risk, due to a lack of money and physical teaching space. This academic year, colleges enrolled 32,000 extra young people with no additional funding. And the outlook for next year is just as concerning – a snap survey of 114 colleges by the Association of Colleges last month revealed they were expecting 22,106 more 16 to 18-year-old students than the 440,524 they will receive funding for. Just over half (12,642) of these applicants are at risk of being denied a place because of the lack of funding – which risks fuelling the NEET (not in education, employment or training) crisis. Become a member for unlimited access to FE Week subscribe This article is for members only. Get full access to premium journalism, exclusive content, and early access to key stories — all for £75 per year.