OPINION PIECE BY DARREN HANKEY
It was Andy Warhol who said, "in the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes" and that’s certainly what it felt like for Hartlepool and Hartlepool College of Further Education in the run-up to the recent election of the town’s new MP. But now, just a week after the by-election result was announced, the media circus has moved on and the blimp of the Prime Minister, which was prominent in the town, has been deflated and put back in its box.
In some respects, the media and coverage was great for the town and the college while it lasted. On the other hand, the focus on the negative and ‘left behind’ neglected the superb things about Hartlepool. As someone who has lived and worked in the town for nearly two decades; the place does have its challenges but it also has some amazing bright spots in the form of world-leading firms such as Hart Biologicals and JDR Cables, as well as superb places to visit – RSPB Salthome and the National Royal Navy Museum to name but two.
Now, more than ever, stories have a short shelf life but if policymakers and Westminster are serious about shining a light on and addressing ‘levelling up left behind places’, then towns such as Hartlepool need to be in the spotlight more, not less. Our voices need to be heard, our opinions valued and our suggestions embraced – we know our areas well. I imagine Whitehall are still unaware of the town’s bright spots, however, it was good to see the role apprenticeships play in upskilling our community and our country-leading higher technical qualifications – something James Kirkup at the Social Market Foundation highlighted particularly well. Besides that, there only seemed to be scant, last-minute regard for what we thought policymakers could do for us.
On this note, and I know I’m biased, it’s good now to see further education being seen by the government as a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem. The Skills and Post-16 Education Bill speaks of massive investment and as lifelong learning being an entitlement – the ‘rocket fuel’ to aid the government’s levelling up agenda. Rachel Wolf’s recent piece for Conservative Home underlines these messages with the importance of training and apprentices written large. All of this underpins the Secretary of State for Education’s recent mantra that, “without hesitation, the future is further education.”
And rightly so. For me, the economies of Hartlepool should be built around key anchor institutions such as the local FE college. We are a good employer; we employ people from the town and the surrounding area, and we use local suppliers. All told, this adds to the economy of the town. In fact, the government’s own findings in 2015 highlighted that for every £1 invested in a college; this returns £20 to an economy. So what’s not to like?
Whilst it is nice to now be able to get back to focus on running a college, my message is don’t forget about places such as Hartlepool now the media attention has drifted to the next story. I’d welcome any journalist and policymaker to come and visit us to tell them what we do for the economy and our local community of all ages. I’ve been massively inspired by the students who come through our doors, not least James, aged 79 who enrolled on Introductory Welding Skills after his wife passed away
Along with students enrolling on vocational courses that will keep our transport and much loved public services thriving long into the future. These are the people government must remember long after elections have been won or lost.
Darren Hankey is Principal & Chief Executive of Hartlepool College of Further Education
@HCFEPrincipal
