JILL MORTIMER: It is important our young people are able to access career opportunities

Hartlepool College of Further Education, where Jill Mortimer found a tour of their facilities fascinatingly eye-opening – with something for everyone.

It was great to be able to spend the week in Hartlepool while being slipped from Parliament – a great opportunity to catch up with my team as well as people and businesses across the town.

I met with Principal Darren Hankey on Monday at our fabulous Hartlepool College of Further Education. I know from their last Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair that they are able to support people to pursue qualifications and careers in a broad range of sectors, but I nevertheless found a tour of their facilities fascinatingly eye-opening – there really is something for everyone.

From engineering, carpentry and welding to aviation, travel and tourism the college has the practical set up to complement any student’s ambition. I would encourage anyone who wishes to explore vocational options to get in touch with the college.

Besides the tour of these wonderful learning spaces, it was good to be able to chat to Principal Hankey about his views on T Levels and how we can facilitate these qualifications here in Hartlepool, through links with our many successful businesses but also potentially through the suggestion of including other extracurricular activities into the mandatory nine week’s practical work. This is something I will be feeding back to my colleagues in Parliament.

It is so important that our young people are able to access such opportunities, and this is also why I was thrilled to welcome another student, Ethan, to my office this week for work experience. As always, it is great that one of our youngsters has taken such a keen interest in politics, and I hope that this week has been informative and thought-provoking, as well as enjoyable!

On a similar note, I am still looking for an apprentice to join my team, so please do get in contact if you’re interested – the position is also advertised through the FE College’s platform!

This time of year is one that is particularly special, not just in the world of politics and parliament, but for our community – especially considering the time we spent apart during the pandemic. It has therefore been a joy to join together with local members of the Conservative Party on Monday for a Christmas gathering. I hope you are all also finding ways of getting into the festive spirit!