Candidates on education
Some businesses often complain that young people aren’t equipped with the necessary skills for the workplace. What are your views on this issue?
JENNY SHEPHERD, GREEN PARTY, CALDER VALLEY
A 2014 British Chamber of Commerce survey of businesses found that three quarters of them thought that young people weren’t ready for employment because they lacked work experience - but half said they didn’t offer work experience themselves.
The solution seems to lie in businesses’ hands.
ROD SUTCLIFFE, YORKSHIRE FIRST, CALDER VALLEY
I support Yorkshire First’s call for a ‘Yorkshire Challenge’ for education. The value of education is immeasurable, both for its life enhancing qualities at a personal level and for the development of our economy and for our future.
I regard education and the learning of skills as a right, and even a duty in society. Investment in education and skills is vital for our young people and for the future of Yorkshire.
With the right focus on skills for current and future industries, and a regional approach with education, industry and the public sector working together, we can meet the challenge.
PAUL ROGAN, UKIP, CALDER VALLEY:
We must educate and train our young people better and pre- pare them for work.
Focused and individual learning plans are key to improving each young person’s skills by the time they are 18.
One size does not fit all and never will.
ALISDAIR MCGREGOR, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT, CALDER VALLEY
Engaging Britain’s pupils with lessons that sustain their interest and setting them in a context that shows the value they are going to provide to the pupils is the best way to ensure pupils learn the skills necessary to progress in work or higher education.
This needs investment in teachers to inspire, and also in school buildings to provide a suitable environment, but this must be done without saddling the schools with the burdensome PFI debts that Labour’s BSF programme created.
The Conservatives’ Free Schools are not the answer as they will not provide new schools where they are needed and will create a £4bn hole in the school buildings budget.
CRAIG WHITTAKER, CONSERVATIVE, CALDER VALLEY
One of the great success stories of this government is the high levels of employment - we currently have only 1.7 per cent unemployment in the Calder Valley.
Five years ago, every business spoke about young people not being equipped with the skills they need - now they talk about the massive skill shortage we have for people like engineers and highlyskilled trades which we need to run our manufacturing.
The government has invested heavily to address these issues with University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools - but this takes time.
JOSH FENTON-GLYNN, LABOUR, CALDER VALLEY
I recently visited a fantastic local company, Denford’s in Brighouse, who make technical equipment used in educational establishments. They run the international ‘F1 in Schools’ competition to make engineering accessible.
This year, the number of apprenticeships fell under the current government.
If we carry on at this rate we will have only half the engineers we need by 2030.
That is why Labour will create a new generation of apprentices, guaranteeing every young person a good quality apprenticeship if they want one.
This is something that is good for young people, good for our economy and good for Britain.
JOE STEAD, WORLD PEACE THROUGH SONG, CALDER VALLEY
Better schools and colleges. Places of work should allow young first-year employees time to go to college.
I left a grammar school to work as a heating engineer and so badly needed day-release as I had moved into an industry I knew absolutely nothing about.
HOLLY WALKER-LYNCH, LABOUR, HALIFAX
We have to give young people every opportunity to be successful in the workplace and apprenticeships are a big part of that. Currently apprentice- ships are so under-funded that some do not cover any college training.
Apprentices are working hard, on low pay, with little training and no guarantees of a job after a year. This is not working for young people or for businesses.
I will listen to our local businesses and young people to ensure that a Labour government would get this right.
PHILIP ALLOTT, CONSERVATIVE, HALIFAX
The Conservatives will ensure young people in Halifax have the skills they need to get on in life.
We are already helping young people get the skills they need, not least with 4,700 people starting an apprenticeship in Halifax since the last election, while there has been a 41.1 per cent increase in the number of Halifax school pupils taking key subjects to get the jobs they need.
We will continue to ensure the National Curriculum is right for all.