Lancaster's Like Technologies boss welcomes PM's plan to give access to vocational education from age 14

Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently announced plans to give young people access to technical and vocational education from the age of 14, saying we need to start valuing “the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap”.

Whether this is a long-held ideal from our new PM, or a reaction to the current environment, at Like Technologies I welcome the premise. In a world where AI is already having a profound impact on many traditional entry-level career opportunities, practical work in the expanding nuclear industry offers a beacon of hope.

At Like Technologies, we have just celebrated 20 years in business. Our story began with work supporting EDF at Heysham 2 and we have grown from a small Morecambe unit into a Lancaster-based company working across the UK, including with EDF and Sellafield, specialising in the challenging and stimulating work of keeping legacy industrial electronic and control systems operating safely and reliably.

As an enthusiastic local employer, one thing that I am proud of is that the people in our business have not all followed the same educational route. They have different qualifications, backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking. I believe that is a strength and I believe the same is true at a national level.

We need universities and graduates, but we also need technicians, apprentices, engineers, manufacturers, programmers, tradespeople and people who build expertise through practical experience.

That is why the PM’s focus on giving technical education greater visibility is significant for employers. Too often, young people are asked what they want to be before they have had the opportunity to see what many jobs actually involve.

Employers therefore have a role in opening their doors, explaining what they do and showing the range of routes into their businesses.

We have seen the benefit ourselves through work experience, T Level placements, apprenticeships and visits from local students. I can’t tell you how many times young people have remarked to me that they would not have had a clue about the kind of opportunities that are available until they have seen it for themselves.

There’s a huge range of businesses and opportunities across Lancaster and Morecambe.

But for young people, seeing is believing. Rather than complain that educators aren’t preparing young people for the world of work, maybe it’s on businesses to work with the educators and open their doors to young people – literally and metaphorically?

This week’s Lancaster and Morecambe Chamber of Commerce Chat was written by Kate Houlden, Managing Director, Like Technologies.