Doncaster MP calls for fast answer on college

Doncaster MP Dame Rosie Winterton has called on a Government minister to help speed through plans for a new college.

Ms Winterton urged Treasury Minister Jane Ellison to intervene to try to bring about a decision on a proposed University Technical College for the borough.

She wants action because of what she sees as a skills shortage facing firms in the area.

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Ms Winterton asked the minister if she would support small businesses in Doncaster, who are facing a ‘worrying’ skills shortage, by impressing on her colleagues at the Department for Education the need for a speedy decision on Doncaster’s University Technical College – and give the go ahead for the money.

She raised the issue as a question in parliament yesterday.

The minister said that she would raise it.

Plans for a university technical college for the borough were first mooted in 2015, in a presentation by Doncaster Chamber where representatives from the Doncaster University Technical College campaign outlined details of the project.

UTCs are schools for 14- to 18-year-olds specialising in the delivery of science, technology, engineering and maths. The purpose of UTCs is to develop the advanced technical skills required to ensure that the UK prospers in the 21st century.

And Doncaster Chamber, along with other partners such as Doncaster College and Doncaster Council, is spearheading the campaign to bring a UTC to Doncaster.

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The college is working closely with local businesses and partners to effectively develop the next generation of engineers and technicians, giving them the right skills, knowledge and experience to fulfil their potential and prepare them for the world of work.

Dan Fell, chief executive of Doncaster Chamber, said: “The UTC will support the education, training and vocational development of young people in sectors that are pivotal to the future of Doncaster’s economy.”