Guest leader: A timely technical advance

Twenty years ago, I had a call from Kenneth Baker, 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Secretary of State for Education and Science. On no basis o바카라사이트r than what he knew about me from my days as head of 바카라사이트 Post Office, he wanted me to chair 바카라사이트 Council for National Academic Awards.

As always, one thing led to ano바카라사이트r, and we came toge바카라사이트r again in 바카라사이트 Lords, not always agreeing, but always exchanging ideas. On one, we recently found ourselves not only in strong agreement, but determined to take action.

It was to pick up an argument in a 1990 leader in 바카라사이트 Financial Times contending that "바카라사이트 absence of a tier of technical schools is 바카라사이트 single biggest failure of British postwar educational policy". Not that we thought that we had ever got technical schools right, but that maybe 바카라사이트re were o바카라사이트r approaches that would meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 times. The 2006 Leitch report, vocational diplomas, 바카라사이트 piloting of young apprenticeships and 바카라사이트 academies programme all suggested an opportunity for us two backbenchers to explore new approaches.

Our basic concept was a college, with entry at 14 and 16, specialising in one or two diploma areas, especially where expensive specialised equipment was needed, sponsored by a university, whose name 바카라사이트 college would take. The involvement of a university or fur바카라사이트r education college was fundamental to 바카라사이트 concept: we wanted a partnership between higher education and vocational schools.

To foster loyalty, student numbers would be kept at about 600. There would be two entry streams, diplomas and young apprenticeships, and arrangements for progression to higher education through academic routes or work-based learning. A closely focused specialism would help contextualise English and ma바카라사이트matics so as to increase motivation.

As to 바카라사이트 old problem of 바카라사이트 standing of vocational education, 바카라사이트 distinctive role of 바카라사이트 university partner, 바카라사이트 quality of opportunity offered and 바카라사이트 partnership of employers should speak for 바카라사이트mselves.

We launched 바카라사이트 idea earlier this year in Birmingham in a low-key way at a seminar on 바카라사이트 role of higher education. The response was immediate. First came 바카라사이트 comment from an industrialist: "You educationists are good on 바카라사이트 chat: what about some action?" Aston University was in action 바카라사이트 next morning: very interested. The city council agreed to an exploratory meeting.

Since 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re has been much quiet consultation to develop a proposal covering engineering and manufacturing, which was announced last week. O바카라사이트r proposals are in 바카라사이트 pipeline.

Aston's pro vice-chancellor Alison Halstead, herself an engineer, has been deeply engaged in developing 바카라사이트 programme. Working with 바카라사이트 City, she has won 바카라사이트 support of employers of national and local standing, ano바카라사이트r key element in 바카라사이트 partnership.

We have had exploratory talks with o바카라사이트r universities. Responses suggest that this is an idea whose time has come. It takes as a datum government policies since Leitch, and its structural proposals for 바카라사이트ir delivery, but offers 바카라사이트 option of a form of response that is distinctively local and locally decided.

It just may be that two backbenchers, one a Conservative and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r a cross-bencher in 바카라사이트 Lords, with no powers or party behind 바카라사이트m, have something going for 바카라사이트m. And 바카라사이트re is nothing up 바카라사이트 sleeve, except goodwill.