Colleges must be at the heart of Labour's Youth Guarantee

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges said: “It is good to see Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall today confirm that Labour’s Youth Guarantee for 18 to 21-year-olds will be a priority for her department.

“It comes just a day after the new Mayor of West Midlands, Richard Parker, announced a youth employment plan to create 20,000 learning and work opportunities in the region.

“Both are welcome steps to ensure that every single student, no matter their circumstances, is given the opportunity to succeed in learning and work. It’s absolutely vital that colleges are at the heart of these plans; as anchor institutions in their communities, serving 1.6 million students across the country, they have the expertise, insight and relationships with employers needed to ensure that initiatives like these truly meet the needs of young people."