UCU comment on Sutton Trust social mobility report

Commenting on the Sutton Trust's report into social mobility released today, UCU said that education was key to improving social mobility. 

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The Sutton Trust's findings of stalling social mobility and young people's pessimism about their life chances make depressing reading but we know that education has the potential to change this. The report says that improvements in social mobility could boost GDP and our further education colleges are uniquely positioned to achieve this.

'They are key to providing technical education and apprenticeships, and are used by 80% of disadvantaged students before the age of 24. But successive governments have failed them, seeing them as easy targets for cuts and the austerity agenda. Colleges must be better funded to deliver vocational routes and professional qualifications, especially as we seek to improve people's skills post-Brexit.'