Rachel visited Leeds College of Building last week, meeting Principal Ian Billyard. Rachel was full of praise for the college, which is the only specialist further education construction college in the UK.

The college was featured on Rachel's short film for Channel 4's 'Political Slot'. It currently has 600 apprentices, spread across 7 locations, and provides a unique and valuable service to the city.

Rachel is lobbying for the college to expand into West Leeds, with a number of viable sites from where the college could offer yet more apprenticeships and training. She said: "Investment in skills is making a real difference. Leeds College of Building are offering more courses for the next generation of builders, plumbers, architects and joiners. Advanced apprenticeships around the country are producing the engineers who will lay the cables to make high speed internet a reality for all, and the technicians who will build electric cars of the future. This targeted investment by the Labour government is supporting our emergence from the recession on the sound footing of a broad, competitive, skilled economy, not something that happens by chance. I want to make sure that Leeds West is part of that opportunity economy, having the college of building here would be a step in the right direction."