Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has described how changes to the way technical education works in the region are "the single biggest thing I could do to change life chances" for local young people.
At an event tomorrow (May 17th) he will unveil plans for a Manchester Baccalaureate, an alternative to the existing national English Baccalaureate (EBacc) system and something he says will focus on subjects which maximise young people’s chance of getting a good job in the Greater Manchester economy.
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The unveiling of the so-called MBacc comes after Greater Manchester became one of two regions outside London to sign a 'trailblazer' devolution deal with government handing over a host of new powers.
And speaking at an event yesterday at Manchester's People's History Museum, Mr Burnham said it would aim to create a clear path from education to good careers for young people pursuing technical education, equal to those on the university route.
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He said: "Fixing technical education seems to me to be the single biggest thing that this country needs to do if it's to have a positive growth story in the coming decades.
"You speak to any potential investor they will always talk about the need for talent, recruiting young people in the modern economy. At the moment in my view the education system is not pointing towards the modern economy at all, it's geared towards the university route.
"That's what the English Baccalaureate does, it actually says that on the website, the subjects in it are the ones that are most favoured by universities and help people have the best chance of a degree place.
"There's nothing wrong with that on its own. But it is if that's the only thing that is in front of people in secondary school, and this is what we want to fix.
"We believe there should be two clear equal routes for young people from 14 to 19. One academic, one technical, but actually the two routes taking you to the same place, one route might get you to that same place without debt, which might make it an even more attractive route."
The current Ebacc was first introduced in 2010 and measures the achievement of GCSE students in English, mathematics, history or geography, the sciences and a language. Some have criticised it for the subjects not included.
Speaking at an event on levelling up organised by the Institute for Government, Mr Burnham said the MBacc would be "a judgement about the subjects that our employers in our economy want".
The new system for technical education in Greater Manchester would also include T Levels, qualifications developed in collaboration with employers and businesses that can be studied by 16-18 year olds after finishing their GCSEs - as well as apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships.
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And Greater Manchester would introduce a local version of the existing UCAS support service for students, providing a single portal for work-related opportunity.
Mr Burnham said: "I'm really excited by this. I think this is the single biggest thing I could do to change life chances in Greater Manchester, also to improve people's health.
"Too many young people here at 14 or 15, are losing a sense of direction because they don't relate to the university route but nothing is put in front of them which helps guide them and our economy suffers as a result.
"So this is what we're going to unveil on Wednesday. I hope the government will continue to work with us to make it a reality. But if you think about a city region where at present, two thirds of our young people either do not take the EBacc or do not attain it. You realise quickly that something fundamental is needed to fix that and give them a clear route."
