Education and training for young people is a mess. That is a statement pretty much every business owner and construction leader we talk to can agree on, which is rare. Everyone – whether they work in engineering, design, cost consulting or the trades – believes the system is failing individuals and businesses alike.

This is not a new complaint. For decades businesses and some educators have criticised outdated attitudes and systems that value and prioritise academic achievement over technical knowledge. This unequal treatment is acted out every August on exam results day: the traditional academic next steps are clear and well understood, the newer technical routes much less so.

Politicians know this, and in the past decade four prime ministers have promised to fix the entrenched academic versus technical divide.

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