England could have more than 100 University Technical Colleges (UTC) up and running by the next general election, according to Lord Baker of Dorking.

“We’re going to have a considerable number of UTCs over the course of the next few years,” Lord Baker said.

“Possibly, by the next election, more than 100 will be approved…and most of them will be open by then.”

Lord Baker, co-founder of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, used the conference to propose a new educational system consisting of four college types, available to all students from the age of 14.

The proposed model included liberal arts colleges, focused on traditional academic subjects “rather similar to the grammar school curriculum”, as well as the emerging UTC model.

“You would then have sports, performing arts and creative arts colleges,” Lord Baker said.

“The fourth, I think, should be a career college.”

Lord Baker said the UTC model was a rare chance for businesses and employers to try and influence the curriculum.

“Industry has never had that chance before,” he said.

“I’m fed up with industrialists always complaining how awful the English educational system is – well now they have a chance to actually shape it in a way which they want it to be shaped.”

He added: “That is revolutionary.”

The UTC concept challenges the age at which students leave school and the point at which they begin to receive vocational training.

Ian Pryce, principal and chief executive of Bedford College, said: “Most schools have shown themselves to be useless, and I mean that, useless, at vocational education.

“They damage the brand.”

Mr Pryce added: “It may even be a word that’s tarnished as a result of that.”

Delegates were given an insight into the operation and learner outcomes of the UTC model by Jim Wade, principal of The JCB Academy in Staffordshire.

Mr Wade said many students think of the UTC as a fresh start, having previously been “discontented” with their experience in education.

“Quite a high percentage of our youngsters have dyslexia as a specialist educational need, and are of average ability,” Mr Wade said.

“A key factor about them though, is that they tend to be slightly discontented with their previous school experience.”

He added: “They see the academy as a second chance to make their education a success.”

I’m fed up with industrialists always complaining how awful the English educational system is”

Nineteen UTCs have been approved so far, although a further 27 were submitted for the second round of applications last week.

“They are of a very high standard indeed, right across the country,” Lord Baker said.

“There will certainly now be more than 24.”

UTCs cater for students between the age of 14 and 19, relying on relationships between both universities and employers to support the curriculum.

Each UTC specialises in one or two technical fields, but also caters for a broad range of general subjects including English, mathematics, science, a modern language, humanities and sport.

“There should be a rounded education,” Lord Baker said.

“Not just a specialist education, a much more rounded one for the student than they would get taking a course at an FE college.”

Dr Susanne Wiborg, head of lifelong learning and comparative education at the institute of education, said UTCs were a chance for the government to try and fix some of the problems associated with vocational training.

“The coalition is trying to shake up the education landscape in England through the academy and free school programme, and now also the UTCs,” Dr Wiborg said.

“The history of vocational and education training in England is long and troubled.”

She added: “It is clear for the government that many aspects of it still need fixing.”

The chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has warned “all will be lost” if the sector fails to tackle poor quality apprenticeships.

“In terms of quality, it’s all very well to gain market share, and grow the programme, and grow it to record numbers, but if we’re undermining the prestige and the view of whether this really is a quality pathway, then all will be lost,” Simon Waugh, chief executive of the NAS said.

Mr Waugh, who is set to leave his post in March, said short duration apprenticeships were doing a “huge disservice” to the apprenticeship brand.

He said: “There are, as we’ve grown, issues emerging around some of the quality around that delivery.

“There has emerged in the last 12 months, some apprenticeships that have been counted and asked from a provider, the money for an apprenticeship that lasts 12 weeks.

“It cannot be an apprenticeship in 12 weeks for 16 to 18 year-olds.”

He added: “It is doing a huge disservice to the brand.”

Mr Waugh, speaking at ‘The future of 14-19 vocational education in England’ conference held by the Westminster Education Forum last week, said it was a “challenge” for the NAS to drive out rogue providers.

“When we find poor provision, a lot of it is, why isn’t NAS doing something about it?

“That to me is like someone being mugged in the street and saying why weren’t the police there to stop it?”

Mr Waugh also said he agreed with the concerns of FE Week surrounding rebranded Train to Gain courses.

“We have a lot of work to do in terms of further developing frameworks, but actually I think that Nick Linford and FE Week, I know one of his big concerns are things that were NVQs and Train to Gain being badged as apprenticeships, and we’ve got to stop that happening,” he said.

Mr Waugh was joined by Peter Cobrin, national education director at notgoingtouni.co.uk, Bill Fearon, principal and chief executive at K College, Tony Ellender, training manager at Balfour Beatty Construction Northern and Ross Varnam, former apprentice and silver medallist at WorldSkills London 2011.

Mr Cobrin was keen to emphasise the lack of high quality information, advice and guidance about apprenticeships available to young people.

“We are not winning the war about how good apprenticeships are,” Mr Cobrin said.

“There is no quality information, advice and guidance on apprenticeships, and Michael Gove has abandoned this territory totally.”

He added: “I challenge the FE colleges who do have those industry connections and the awareness of the real world of work, to step up to the mark and start channelling quality information advice and guidance about apprenticeships over the heads of schools if necessary.”

It cannot be an apprenticeship in 12 weeks for 16 to 18 year-olds”

Mr Waugh seemed to agree in his opening speech, saying the first priority was to ensure the public was sufficiently aware of the apprenticeship pathway.

“If you look at the key stakeholders, starting off with young people – are they interested in it, do they know anything abut it?” Mr Waugh said.

“Also educationalists, the schools and everyone else that will be advising and talking to young people and their parents about what the route may be.”

He added: “You’re very unlikely to buy a product from a company you’ve never heard of.”

Mr Fearon said that despite the concerns surrounding short duration apprenticeships, it was up to colleges to “accentuate the positives” about vocational training.

“I don’t believe that our current system is dysfunctional,” Mr Fearon said.

“I think there are issues and problems, and the devil is in the detail and we need to address those, but I think it’s the responsibility of stakeholders to accentuate the positives about our system and to truly make the best of it.”

Mr Waugh also called for greater credibility from colleges and training providers.

“Does it really deliver value for the employer on one side, because these are real jobs, not just a bit of training and a bit of work experience.

“These are real jobs, with definitive, training and up-skilling through an apprenticeship, and if therefore it doesn’t really deliver for employers, real added value to their business, we will never create it as an alternative mainstream pathway.”

The apprenticeship debate was followed by a panel on vocational qualifications generally, including Colin Booth, principal at Barnsley College, Kate Shoesmith, head of policy and corporate affairs at City & Guilds, Janet Felkin, headteacher at Blatchington Mill School and Sixth Form College and Simon Perks, team leader of policy development at Ofqual.