MPs have expressed fury after Birmingham colleges were denied funding to provide urgently-needed apprenticeship courses.
Apprenticeships Minister Robert Halfon agreed to meet MPs to discuss their concerns, after he was told the Government was “destroying technical education for 16-year-olds in the West Midlands”.
And Sion Simon, Labour’s candidate for West Midlands mayor, has vowed to overturn the decision if he wins the May 4 mayoral election.
It comes after the Department for Education published a list of colleges which will receive funding to provide apprenticeships, which excluded colleges in Birmingham.
The announcement came as a shock to college bosses. Birmingham Metropolitan College Principal Andrew Cleaves said: “(We) put forward a solid proposal to the Skills Funding Agency (and) we are very surprised and disappointed by the outcome.”
And South & City College Birmingham said in a statement: “We were very shocked to discover the application had been unsuccessful, given our grade 2 (good) Ofsted report and excellent track record of delivering apprenticeships.”
Earlier this month, Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered a Budget statement which he portrayed as a “breakthrough Budget” for skills.
But Birmingham MPs said the Government was failing to provide Birmingham’s workforce with the skills employers need.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Gisela Stuart (Lab Edgbaston) said: “Is the Minister not aware that if he goes ahead with that decision, he will essentially be destroying technical education for 16-year-olds in the West Midlands?”
And Jack Dromey (Lab Erdington) said: “Does the Minister begin to understand the outrage over this inexplicable decision? Will he meet Birmingham’s MPs, so that we can make further representations to him?”
Mr Halfon agreed to meet the MPs but defended the decision, saying: “Getting on the register is a competitive procurement process - everyone had to fulfil the same criteria. It is important to note that, from tomorrow, those that did not get on the register can reapply, so they may yet succeed.”
Labour mayor candidate Sion Simon said: “This decision will all but end technical education for young people in the West Midlands as we know it.
“13 colleges from across the West Midlands will be blocked from receiving of the funding for apprenticeships. But not if I have anything to do with it. We must get this decision overturned.
“Tories in London have turned their backs on apprenticeships – I will fight to overturn this decision.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “All those that applied to be on the register of training providers were given a clear set of criteria in order to receive funds for apprenticeship training, ensuring they are high quality and capable of delivering the training that young people deserve.
“There are currently over 170 training providers with a strong track record in the Birmingham area for employers to choose from. We have provided feedback to providers who have not been successful, all of whom will have the opportunity to reapply when the register reopens on 21 March.”
