UK plans new post-Brexit technical degrees

The UK government is set to unveil a new 500-million-pound-a-year drive to improve technical training in the country with so-called T-Level vocational degrees in a post-Brexit era.
Chancellor Philip Hammond will announce the multi-million-pound drive to put technical education on an equal footing with academic studies in the Annual Budget on Wednesday.
The current system, where students have to pick from 13,000 different qualifications, will be replaced with just 15 standalone courses.
The move is aimed at plugging the country's skills gaps as Britain leaves the European Union (EU).
"Post-Brexit Britain will need more self-sufficiency in developing skills and people will need the confidence, support and opportunities to adapt and change over 50-plus year careers," said Association of Colleges chief executive David Hughes.

Under the new plans, students in further education or at a technical college will also be eligible for maintenance loans.

The new courses are expected to start from the 2019/20 academic year.
The government is calling the plans the most ambitious education reform since the introduction of A-levels 70 years ago.
T-levels will be available in 15 subjects, including catering, childcare, digital technology, engineering and construction.
They will be taught in schools and further education colleges.
The first courses will come on stream in 2018, with all 15 in place by 2022. The T-level courses are being drawn up by educationalists working alongside businessmen and civil servants from the Department for Education.