Peter McDermott, of the Invest in Britain Bureau, which works with British embassies to secure overseas investment, told a seminar organised by the Further Education Development Agency: “Without the efforts of the FE sector, much of the promotion of the UK as a foreign direct investment destination would be a waste.

“The skills of the workforce are a critical factor in attracting foreign companies to the UK and in keeping the companies we have here.

“Therefore further education colleges, the biggest providers of vocational and professional training in the country, play a critical role in the decisions of companies to invest in the UK.”