This week in Parliament I took part in a debate on social mobility and the economy. This was a timely debate following a publication by the Children’s Commissioner which highlighted the disparity in achievement of working class children from the North of England compared to those living in London and the South-East. The report showed that a young person leaving school or college in the South-East is 57% more likely to go on to a decent university compared to young people in the North. This resonated with me as I grew up in Liverpool and left school at 16 to start an apprenticeship. My apprenticeship was with a global car manufacturer which provided many opportunities to work in different areas of the business whilst studying part time up to degree level. As a result of my own experience I am hugely supportive of degree level apprenticeships which are not only a great way to prepare for a career but also to drive social mobility.
The new Chichester University facility in Bognor Regis will offer 33 degree level apprenticeship courses ranging from high tech engineering and 3D animated film production through to business management. The groundbreaking STEAM facility will combine art and design creativity with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. This is a winning combination and the state of the art facility has been designed using the innovative CDIO (Conceive, Design Implement and Operate) framework for producing the next generation of engineers.
Local employers have been collaborating with Chichester University to produce a learning experience which will make students ready for the workplace. I believe this is a brilliant way to learn ensuring that students not only emerge with a good degree but have also developed the ability to work well in a team and the soft skills they need to make them successful in their chosen career.
Chichester University currently has 34% of its students who come from a disadvantaged background and more than half of all pupils are the first generation in their family to go university. Our local university, which has 50% of its intake from the local region, is a beacon of opportunity and social mobility of which we should all be very proud.
