Ed Miliband visits
Labour Party Leader, Ed Miliband and Shadow Business
Secretary, Chuka Umunna, visited the Rugby centre and local power
conversion company, Converteam.
They visited students from the electrical engineering course
before hosting a question and answer session for around seventy
students, employers, staff and governors.
Many staff and apprentices attended from local companies
including Butchers’ Pet Care, CEMEX, Converteam, Doosan Babcock,
EON and the Manufacturing Technical Centre.
Mr Miliband said: "I was delighted to visit the Power Academy at
Warwickshire College, to see the fantastic work being done to give
young people the skills they need to get on.
“The students, staff, and corporate partners all asked some
really searching questions and we had an excellent discussion about
Labour's five point plan for jobs and growth.”
Questions were asked on a range of topics including tuition
fees, the environment and business. Much was said in response about
the need to create new business opportunities in areas such as
renewable energy technology and the manufacturing of innovative
products.
Employers stressed the need to ensure that education providers
met the skills needs of local businesses.The need to increase and
value apprenticeships was highlighted, as well as the importance of
education providers working with businesses to provide skills
training for the future.
The Power Industry Academy was chosen for the visit as a
pioneering example of partnership between college, government and
local power companies.