Professor Alison Wolf has issued a stinging attack on Labour leader Ed Miliband’s plans to “revolutionise learning and training” by introducing technical degrees at university.

The Kings College London academic (pictured), whose government-commissioned review of vocational education for 14 to 19-year-olds was published in early 2011, branded the idea “confusing,” while Skills Minister Matthew Hancock labelled it “odd” and accused the Opposition leader of a lack of awareness of the FE sector.

Mr Miliband unveiled his plans in a speech at the Higher Ambitions vocational education summit, organied by the Sutton Trust, in London’s  Institution of Civil Engineers today.

He said the technical degree would be for “the forgotten 50 per cent who do not currently go to university”.

He added: “For the first time, those who have excelled in vocational education and training will be able to progress further.”

However, Professor Wolf criticised the plan with Labour appearing to retain the aim of university education for all.

She said: “This is a surprisingly confusing speech. Apparently it is about the ‘forgotten 50 per cent’ who don’t currently go to university. But it seems to imply that the Labour Party is as convinced as it ever was that higher education is what everybody needs — and that an apprenticeship is only going to be worthwhile if it leads to this new thing called a technical degree.

“If you are giving a speech saying there is more than one route to success, then why immediately talk down apprenticeship by implying it needs a degree at the end of it to attract young people? It doesn’t, if you go by numbers. Apprenticeships are wildly over-subscribed — the shortfall is in supply not demand.

“And where, also, does this speech leave the foundation degrees which were one of the major initiatives of the last Labour government and launched by them in 2001 as part of a skills revolution? Foundation degrees sound and look a lot like these new technical degree to most of us.

“Foundation degrees were, and indeed are, ‘employment-related higher education qualifications which have been designed with employers to meet their requirements for skilled individuals able to apply specialist knowledge in the workplace.’ If they didn’t do the trick before, why will they this time?”

And Mr Hancock, ahead of his own speech at the same conference later in the day, initially took to Twitter to respond.

He tweeted: “I get impression from @Ed_Miliband’s speech he doesn’t know about HE in FE, Higher Apprenticeships, or our vocational education revolution.”

And later at the conference, he said: “They say that imitation is flattery and I suppose from what I saw of it the announcement made this morning was complimentary.

“It’s happening already and it’s odd to suggest this doesn’t already exist.

“In 211 colleges across the country higher education in FE exists and much of it is high quality and much of it is technical and a lot of it leads on to professional qualifications or university study.

“If you want to called them technical degrees or if you want to call them by any other the name, the key is to make sure we have the right amount of high quality technical education.”

He added: “I think there’s a bit of a muddle as to whether this was part-time alongside work — that is to say an apprenticeship — or whether it is full time.”

But when asked the difference between the proposed technical degree and existing higher apprenticeships, Mr Miliband said: “There is a very, very limited number of, I think they’re called, degree-level apprenticeships available at the moment in some places but they vary in their nature — in terms of are they foundation degrees or are they equivalent to BAs degrees?

“What we’re saying is we need a new and clear class of degree to an equivalent BA standard which we mobilise business and universities behind.”

Meanwhile, Association of Colleges chief executive Martin Doel warned that colleges should play a part in providing the proposed new degrees.

“Past history shows that universities have moved away from this type of industry-specific provision, which allows flexibility for students to study, in favour of a traditional academic residential model,” he said.

“FE colleges have been increasingly taking up this mantle, drawing upon staff who are dual professionals, being experts in both teaching and their professional trade and who make use of industry standard facilities.

“There is, therefore, a key role for colleges in the construction and delivery of technical degrees if this initiative is to be brought to fruition effectively.”

The Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Brian Lightman said: “High-status, high-level vocational qualifications have been something of a holy grail in the UK.

“We do need clear pathways for both academic and vocational routes that are equally accepted by employers and offer good job prospects.

“Having progression routes for vocational careers that start at GCSE level and go up to a degree equivalent is key.

“For these proposals to work, employers, universities, and school and college leaders will need to be involved in their development to make sure they are fit for purpose.

“We shouldn’t forget that not all young people mature and progress at the same rate, and there need to be routes for late developers as well. All students should have the opportunity to follow abroad and balanced curriculum until they are ready to choose a particular direction.”

A Midland college that overhauled its leadership in the wake of a disastrous Ofsted inspection result has recorded improvement across the board.

City College Coventry follows City of Liverpool and City of Bristol to become the third general FE college in less than a month to have improved to a grade three, or requires improvement, result having been hit with an inadequate rating last year.

Within months of the result, which was a fall from a grade three, the principal and chair of governors — both in post for more than a decade each — were replaced.

And it was revisited by inspectors last month and their report, out today, gave it improved, grade three results in each of the headline fields as well as the main findings board.

The report said: “The new team of leaders, managers and governors, through their ambitious and rigorous actions have brought about significant improvements in a short time, including better outcomes for learners and improved teaching and assessment.”

Steve Logan (pictured), appointed principal this month, said: “The college has acted decisively in bringing about improvements and Ofsted recognised a ‘culture of high expectations’.

“The journey continues and the focus of the college remains inexorably on helping students, not just to achieve, but to aspire for the highest standards possible.”

He added: “I am equally proud of our learners and our staff. We know there is still much to do moving forward but we take great heart from the confidence expressed in the report. It is enormously gratifying to have official recognition for our journey to excellence.”

The 6,800-learner college was branded inadequate across each of the headline fields in April last year and the report, which followed inspection the previous month, also gave grade fours throughout the main findings board, including apprenticeships and 19+ learning programmes.

The college’s highest mark was a single grade two for teaching, learning and assessment on independent living and life skills.

The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) subsequently issued it with a notice of concern and called for “fundamental changes” at the top of the college and within months of the result principal Paul Taylor, who had led the college for 16 years and experienced two previous poor inspections, was replaced by interim John Hogg.

Governors’ chair since 2001 Warwick Hall also left and was replaced by former Association of Colleges president Maggie Galliers.

A monitoring visit from Ofsted in October then said there had been “reasonable progress” in all themes assessed. They were self-assessment and improvement planning, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, work place learning and science, maths and business, and strengthening governance.

And the latest full inspection resulted in grade threes throughout the main findings board. The college also got four grade twos for teaching, learning and assessment in business management, administration, visual arts and performing arts.

The report said: “Since the last inspection, the appointment of professionals with substantial skills and experience to the leadership team and to the board of governors has taken the college forward quickly.

“Senior leaders have thoroughly involved all staff, through effective communications, to help achieve the college’s strategic priorities and to use the new strategic plan. For example, regular college-wide briefings, meetings and newsletters are resulting in a high level of commitment among staff.”

The result has seen the SFA lift its notice of concern.

Mrs Galliers said: “The report recognises the new strategic priorities of the college in focussing firmly on the needs of Coventry and its residents.

“We have worked tirelessly to recover the college’s reputation following last year’s report and we are enormously grateful for the support we have received from external stakeholders including the Local Authority and the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

“Teaching and learning remains a singular focus for the college and for the governing body.

“It is encouraging to read that Ofsted now recognises a strong governing body which knows the college well.”

See feweek.co.uk tomorrow for an exclusive Q&A with Mr Logan.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has unveiled plans to “revolutionise learning and training” with new technical degrees delivered by the country’s top universities and designed with leading businesses.

Speaking at a vocational education summit in London this morning, he told how “those who have excelled in vocational education and training” would be given the opportunity to take their learning further, through university.

Mr Miliband said: “I am clear that the priority for expansion of university places must be based on assessment of what Britain, our young people and our businesses need in the future when we will compete with the rest of the world on quality, innovation, science and skills. So my priority will be technical degrees, delivered in partnership with business and universities.

“This is a new direction for our country: equal status for vocational qualifications from school to university and beyond; equipping our young people with the skills they need; and providing our country with a reason to be confident for the future so we can compete with the very best economies in the world in a race to the top.”

The speech came at the Sutton Trust’s Higher Ambitions summit, at London’s Institution of Civil Engineers. Skills Minister Matthew Hancock was due to speak later at the event.

“For too long governments have believed there is only one way to success through education which is to follow the conventional academic route: to do GCSEs, A-levels, a traditional academic subject at university and then on to career,” said Mr Miliband.

He added: “But that kind of aspiration cannot be limited only to those young people who choose a conventional academic route. We must be One Nation, not two, because we know that route doesn’t work for everyone and we know as well there have not been clear enough alternatives.

“What do we say to a young person at school thinking about their career for the first time if they don’t want to do traditional academic subjects? What is the gold-standard vocational qualification? What should they be aiming for in the long-run? What do they need to do to get there?

“We know other countries get this right. In Germany, there are proper, joined-up qualifications at every level — pathways on to apprenticeships and careers. Where other countries have succeeded, we have failed our young people.

“For the first time in a century there is the real danger of our children doing worse than their parents, of the Promise of Britain being broken, and our country going into decline. We cannot afford to allow people’s talents to go undeveloped and their hopes unfulfilled.

“A Labour government, working with business and universities, will revolutionise learning and training to underpin the high wage, high skill, high quality economy we will build together for the future.

“The government I plan to lead in 10 months’ time will put this right with reform of vocational education is central to this mission.

“And I can announce today that we will go one step further too by introducing new Technical Degrees as the culmination of our reform agenda for the forgotten 50 per cent who do not currently go to university.

“These courses will be designed together by some of our best universities and our leading employers, teaching people the skills they need to prosper in the new economy.

“For the first time, those who have excelled in vocational education and training will be able to progress further. For the first time young people will have the chance to earn while they learn at university with a degree that provides a clear route to a high skilled technical or professional career. For the first time employers will be able to people who see their long term future with the firm and then develop their specialist skills so they can succeed together.”

The announcement of plans for the technical degrees follows other FE and skills plans from Labour, including the creation of a Technical Baccalaureate for 16 to 19-year-olds with level three qualifications accredited by employers and a work placement, as well as requiring all young people to continue studying English and maths to age 18.

The party has also said it wants lecturers to hold teaching qualifications and for the best FE colleges to become Institutes of Technical Education.