Over the last 12 months Gateshead College, Newcastle College, Sunderland College and Stockton College have all announced cuts to their teaching staff.
UCU called on the government to recognise the returns of state investment in education and training and pointed to recent research carried out by the IPPR, which showed putting someone through A-levels and university generates £227,000 for the economy. More on this story can be found here.
UCU General Secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “Nick Clegg is right to highlight the issue of youth unemployment. However, words are not enough. Only through investing in education for young people will the government be able to alleviate the long-term problem of youth joblessness.
Hunt continued: “Instead of cutting places in colleges and universities and making it more expensive to study, the government needs to harness further and higher education to provide opportunities for young people and the economy.”
