With economic growth and productivity topping the new Government’s agenda, raising skill levels in Britain’s workforce is more urgent than ever. All skills from basic to graduate are important, but the 21st century’s high-value growth industries – digital technology, green skills, advanced manufacturing, life sciences – among others - depend on a strong supply of employees with higher technical skills. Critically, the number of students accessing higher technical education falls short of the country's needs.

This paper highlights the solution to the problem: our national network of Further Education Colleges, already delivering the bulk of higher technical education in England, and which have the potential to do much more.