Snobbery is holding us back when it comes to kids opting for a trade

SNOBBERY is holding back the economy as young people are pushed to go to university instead of learning the skills Britain really needs, says the Education Secretary.

- Jonathan Walker and David Williamson

Bridget Phillipson believes thousands of children are missing the chance of a fruitful career, leaving the nation short of workers in trades like construction.

This week she will unveil plans to revamp the careers service to give pupils a wider range of job options.

Oxford-educated Ms Phillipson, who grew up in a deprived part of Sunderland, is determined to ensure pupils from every background get a chance to go to a top university.

But she said: “The snobbery around skilled trades is holding back the growth that we need. It has held back our country for far too long and we need to turn it around.”

School careers advice will be improved and every child will do work experience, under plans to be highlighted at this week’s Labour conference. The aim is to encourage youngsters to consider careers such as construction or engineering.

At the same time, teachers benefiting from a bumper 5.5 per cent pay rise will be told they must be “more ambitious” for pupils, including pushing children from poorer backgrounds to consider applying to the nation’s most elite institutions.

And the Education Secretary signalled plans for a review of university funding “to look at all the options” and ensure young people aren’t put off studying for a degree by the prospect of massive debts.

In an exclusive interview ahead of Labour’s annual gathering in Liverpool, Ms Phillipson, 40, said she was “lucky” as the child growing up in a council house to attend a school which pushed her to achieve – but others are not so fortunate.