Niall's Story

Niall, 26, from Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend wanted to become a teacher in the North East, where schools desperately need qualified staff. But when he looked into teacher training, he discovered that HM Treasury and the Department for Education had slashed bursaries for subjects with critical shortages in his region. The classrooms were there, graduates ready to teach were there, but Westminster's spending rules treat the government as though it must find money it creates. This political choice to underfund teacher training has left schools understaffed while blocking people like Niall from the career they want. A story of how central government decisions disconnect workers from the jobs communities need. DISCLOSURE: This episode discusses government spending and monetary policy.