12 Institutes of Technology in England - 1 in Exeter
Published: 10 April 2019
Exeter will soon have one of only 12 Institutes of Technology in England providing high-quality skills training under plans announced by the Government today.
The bid was spearheaded by the University of Exeter and Exeter College, and is intended to offer young people a vocational alternative to universities.
Employers will support the institutes, most of which will be based around existing colleges and universities.
Vocational training has often been seen as being underserved by the education system, with more status attached to young people taking an academic pathway, through GCSEs, A-levels and university.
The idea of introducing a network of Institutes of Technology is to create a high-quality route to gain skills and technical qualifications, comparable to going to university.
They will begin opening from the autumn, supported by Government funding of £170m.
Karime Hassan, Exeter City Council’s Chief Executive and Growth Director, welcomed the successful bid for Exeter.
He said: “Congratulations to everyone behind this bid – the University of Exeter, Exeter College and the Heart of the South West LEP. It is a key project in the Greater Exeter Industrial Strategy, and wider economy of the South West region. Institutes of Technology will boost skills training and today’s announcement is great news for Exeter and its ambition for an increasingly high skilled economy.”
The institutes, based in further education colleges and universities, will each have an industry specialism, and use the expertise of relevant employers. There are plans for a new technical qualification, the T-level, to be introduced next year, which is the latest attempt to create a vocational equivalent to A-levels.
Announcing the successful bids, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “I firmly believe that education is key to opening up opportunity for everyone - but to give our young people the skills they need to succeed, we need an education and training system which is more flexible and diverse than it is currently.
“These new institutes will help end outdated perceptions that going to university is the only desirable route, and build a system which harnesses the talents of our young people.”