In his local election campaign trail earlier this week, Ed Miliband visited Reading College to talk to students and other members of the local community.

The Labour party leader was given a tour of the college before he held a question and answer session with Reading College students, apprentices, businesses and council tenants in our on-site restaurant, The Kitchen.

Taking questions in threes, Mr Miliband invited three people to ask their questions before answering them one by one. Rhys Lowe, President of our Students’ Union and Vice President, Nishat Hoque each asked questions relating to employment for young people.

Ed Miliband called Reading College students ‘an inspiration’ and praised the college for providing a ‘lifeline’ to mature students to get back into qualifications. He said:

“The college is doing a fantastic job and I’ve been incredibly inspired both with the work they do with students straight out of school and with mature students – some of the most inspiring conversations I’ve had are with mature students, some on vocational courses and some on academic…we have to as a country value vocational qualifications as well as academic.”

On his visit to Reading, Ed Miliband also visited Reading train station and local engineering firm, Peter Brett Associates. BBC reporter, Nick Robinson was also at the college and carried out a sit down interview with the Labour leader before he left the campus.