Colleges Week takes place next week, and Bath College, which has campuses in the Somer Valley and the city centre, says it will be using the event as an opportunity to call on the Government for better investment in colleges, and fair pay for college staff.

Bath College is a vital part of the Bath and North East Somerset area, supporting over 11,000 students to learn, train and develop confidence and employability skills.

Colleges Week, which takes place from Monday, 15th October to Friday, 19th October, is part of the ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign, which highlights the work that goes on nationally and locally at Bath College, and the brilliant staff that make it all possible.

A spokesperson for the College told The Journal: “We believe Further Education Colleges are an essential part of England’s education system. Colleges and college staff transform lives – they help people make the most of their talents and ambitions, and drive social mobility; they help businesses improve productivity and drive economic growth; they are rooted in and committed to their communities, and drive tolerance and well-being. They are an essential part of England’s education system – educating and training 2.2 million people every year.

“Over the last decade, colleges have had to deal with an average 30% funding cut, whilst costs have increased dramatically. This has resulted in a drastic drop in learning opportunities for adults, fewer hours of teaching and support for young people, and teacher pay at less than 80% of schools and support staff seeing no increase in pay for several years. This situation is not sustainable, and ultimately impacts upon students, businesses, communities and the wider economy.

“This College matters – to our students, our staff and our local community. But for too long, the vital work we do has been overlooked and underfunded.”

Whether it’s through top-class technical education, basic skills or lifelong learning, colleges like Bath College help people of all ages and backgrounds to make the most of their talents and ambitions. Mostly rooted in local communities, they provide skills to boost local and regional economies.

However, there is currently a reduction in education funding once a student turns sixteen – whether they are in a school Sixth Form or a College. ‘Love Our Colleges’ is calling on the Government to increase 16–19 funding by 5% a year for five years. It is also asking the Department for Education to provide exceptional funding, ring-fenced for teacher pay.

Laurel Penrose, Principal at Bath College, said: “Our young people are being short-changed compared with their counterparts in other countries, and compared with previous generations. The hours of teaching and support, the choice they have and the enrichment they are offered, have all reduced as funding cuts have bitten. This cannot continue if we are to secure the future of our nation.

“Bath College is at the heart of the community here in Bath and North East Somerset, and unfortunately the lack of Government funding restricts the resources we are able to support our students with, which in turn, restricts the local economy, as we are central to the technological skill development in the local region. We also believe we have excellent staff who, again, due to the lack of funding, aren’t fully appreciated.”

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “Every single day, colleges like Bath College provide a world class education and transform the lives of millions of people.

“Colleges Week is an opportunity to celebrate the brilliant things that go on and a chance to showcase the fantastic staff that make it possible. It is simple – if we want a world-class education system then we need to properly invest in it.”

The ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign is a partnership between Association of Colleges (AoC), National Union of Students (NUS), Association of College and School Leaders (ASCL), University and Colleges Union (UCU), Unison, GMB, TUC and National Education Union (NEU).