Penzance students got the chance to grill the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today when he visited Penwith College.
Mr Clegg spent nearly two hours touring the further education college on St Clare Street, chatting to students and getting hands on in the kitchen.
After arriving at 11.30am the first thing the deputy PM noticed was a college employee wearing shorts – something he probably does not see in London very often.
The Liberal Democrat leader was then led to the Senara kitchen, where students from the professional cookery course were preparing for a busy lunch service.
Mr Clegg spent time asking the budding chefs about their studies, their daily lives and their ambitions for the future.
He then donned a chef's jacket and gloves and had a go at rolling out dough for bread, although he had to have help from a student to roll the perfect square that was required.
Mr Clegg then met a group of students, apprentices, employers and college staff around a table to talk about how young people in Cornwall are getting the necessary skills for a successful career.
He asked: "What would you say the biggest challenges are for you when studying?"
He was met with a range of answers and concerns including high transport costs, the necessity of having a second job and worries that the students will have to leave Cornwall to have a successful, well-paid career.
Mr Clegg said: "I would like to live in a country where young people need not feel they have to move long distances away from family and friends to get ahead in life."
Mr Clegg also quizzed the students and employers on what they thought about the Youth Contract – a £1bn scheme he introduced aiming to give every 16-24 year old the chance to have a job or study.
"I think local employers don't know enough about it," he said.
The scheme gives employers financial incentives to employ young people.
He was also asked how confident he was that the Liberal Democrat party would be able to successfully oppose proposed changes to parliamentary boundaries, which would create a constituency combining parts of Devon and Cornwall.
He said: "I think the boundary changes that are proposed for the next election should be deferred by a full parliament.
"I'm pretty confident we can win that argument and the vote when it comes."
Mr Clegg spent nearly two hours touring the further education college on St Clare Street, chatting to students and getting hands on in the kitchen.
After arriving at 11.30am the first thing the deputy PM noticed was a college employee wearing shorts – something he probably does not see in London very often.
The Liberal Democrat leader was then led to the Senara kitchen, where students from the professional cookery course were preparing for a busy lunch service.
Mr Clegg spent time asking the budding chefs about their studies, their daily lives and their ambitions for the future.
He then donned a chef's jacket and gloves and had a go at rolling out dough for bread, although he had to have help from a student to roll the perfect square that was required.
Mr Clegg then met a group of students, apprentices, employers and college staff around a table to talk about how young people in Cornwall are getting the necessary skills for a successful career.
He asked: "What would you say the biggest challenges are for you when studying?"
He was met with a range of answers and concerns including high transport costs, the necessity of having a second job and worries that the students will have to leave Cornwall to have a successful, well-paid career.
Mr Clegg said: "I would like to live in a country where young people need not feel they have to move long distances away from family and friends to get ahead in life."
Mr Clegg also quizzed the students and employers on what they thought about the Youth Contract – a £1bn scheme he introduced aiming to give every 16-24 year old the chance to have a job or study.
"I think local employers don't know enough about it," he said.
The scheme gives employers financial incentives to employ young people.
He was also asked how confident he was that the Liberal Democrat party would be able to successfully oppose proposed changes to parliamentary boundaries, which would create a constituency combining parts of Devon and Cornwall.
He said: "I think the boundary changes that are proposed for the next election should be deferred by a full parliament.
"I'm pretty confident we can win that argument and the vote when it comes."
