UCU warns against expansion of university technical colleges

Commenting on the government's plans to increase the number of UTCs, UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said:

'University technical colleges may sound great on paper but we risk creating a system where young people, typically from working-class backgrounds, are channelled in to vocational subjects and their wealthier contemporaries are encouraged to pursue academic paths.

'University technical colleges are likely to offer similar courses and curriculum to further education colleges and we may see ever decreasing funding diverted to the new projects with considerable costs to colleges currently providing key vocational skills.'