Teachers at Suffolk New College could soon be struggling to find enough space for their students because of the cash crisis hitting the sector, its principal has warned.
Alan Pease said the shortage of government support for the further education (FE) sector meant there was sometimes not enough teaching space - and low pay made it difficult to recruit enough teachers.
Suffolk New College, based in Ipswich's Rope Walk, has linked up with FE colleges from across the region - including the Eastern Education Group which runs West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds, East Coast College in Lowestoft and Norwich City College to lobby for more government support.
Their principals have also signed a letter to the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, which has been backed by 170 college leaders warning that the sector has been treated worse than other education bodies.
Unlike schools, FE colleges have to pay VAT on everything they buy. FE teachers, on average, earn £9,000 a year less than school teachers.
But their institutions are having to cope with a rapid growth in the number of 16 to 18-year-olds wanting to learn new skills.
Mr Pease said: "Compared with some places, Suffolk New College isn't too badly off but the pressures the whole sector is coming under are very challenging.
"Demand is rising - but there isn't an equal increase in resources. How do you cram more students into your classrooms? How and where do put more desks and chairs?"
He said that the pay gap is making it very difficult to recruit and retain FE teachers - some felt forced to return to working in schools because the pay gap was so great.
Teachers at Suffolk New College teaching A level Maths and English were being paid substantially less than those teaching exactly the same subjects at local schools.
He said that while the government was talking about building a skilled workforce in sectors like construction, engineering and health and social care, the training resources were not being freed up by the Treasury.
Mr Pease said: “Suffolk New College contributes significantly to the local and regional economy through the creation of a skilled workforce for the present and future.
"Our valued employer partners recruit from this talent pool to ensure they have the necessary workforce skills to meet their needs, across many different sectors.
“With the onset of two enormous infrastructure projects in Suffolk - Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station and Freeport East - it is imperative that the government invests in the Further Education sector to ensure a parity of esteem with schools and universities.”
Dr Nikos Savvas, chief executive officer at Eastern Education Group, said: “The Prime Minister has outlined an ambitious plan to revitalise the country, addressing skills shortages as a key priority.
"At the core of this effort are our outstanding Further Education colleges, which play a critical role in equipping the workforce for construction, house building, major infrastructure projects, and the NHS.
“As a vital part of the public sector and the education system, FE colleges are central to solving the nation’s skills challenges.
"Given the specialised expertise of FE lecturers, it is only fitting that they receive pay parity with primary and secondary school teachers.”
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