WMG Academy Trust welcomes plans to offer technical subjects in schools
Thursday 30 July 2026
WMG Academy Trust welcomes plans to offer technical subjects in schools
Commenting on the Prime Minister鈥檚 proposed education reforms for secondary school pupils to study subjects such as manufacturing and AI alongside core academic learning, Stewart Tait, CEO of the , said:
鈥淲e are thrilled that the Government is adopting a model of delivering high-quality technical education starting at 14. For over a decade, our WMG Academies for Young Engineers have delivered exceptional outcomes for young people by providing access to specialist, industry-standard facilities, real employer projects, and career pathways.
鈥淪ponsored by the 天美传媒, our academies partner with local employers to deliver the technical and employment skills that the labour market needs. We build career pathways that balance technical and academic education so that our students can thrive in work, education, and training.
鈥淭hrough our University Technical College model, both of our academies consistently achieve zero or close to zero 鈥� figures for students leaving the academies, compared with a concerning national average of 14%, equating to one million 16–24 year olds who are NEET.
鈥淚n supporting both academic and technical education, our academies help support students to follow the apprenticeship route up to five times the national average, three-quarters of which are at higher or degree level.
鈥淗elping young people thrive in work and life, means providing a range of different opportunities so that they can make informed decisions about their needs, wants, and strengths. By creating more technical-based options for young people, the Government is opening more doors for our students, delivering on skills shortages, and helping the country develop in critical areas like advanced manufacturing and AI.鈥�
WMG Academies are specialist secondary schools (University Technical Colleges) for young people aged 14–19, focused on engineering, digital and technical education. They are part of the WMG Academy Trust, sponsored by the 天美传媒, and work closely with local and national employers to deliver industry aligned learning.
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