AoC welcomes Jacqui Smith, the new Minister for Skills, FE and HE

David Hughes, Chief Executive of Association of Colleges, said: “It was good to have a very positive first meeting with Jacqui Smith today and give her my congratulations on being appointed to the best job in the Department for Education: the Minister for Skills, Further and Higher Education. It’s an exciting time for the sector with Labour’s plans for Skills England, apprenticeship levy reform, establishing the new technical excellence college programme, integrating HE and FE and launching the opportunity mission. Across all of these I offered AoC’s support to ensure that colleges can bring their expertise, energy and understanding to the reforms.

“I’d also like to thank Seema Malhotra for all of her engagement with us as shadow skills minister and offer my congratulations for her appointment in the Home Office.”