THE SPECIALIST science school proposed for Bradford may well be just the kind of initiative the district needs to help create the workforce of the future.

It’s likely that people working in these areas will need to go into higher education in most cases, but this type of education establishment certainly helps to identify, at an early stage, talented individuals who can go on to fill the needs of local employers.

However, as a quick look into Bradford’s not-too-distant past will show, it’s vital that free schools are correctly set up and properly constituted.

The insight the Yorkshire Academy free school will give into medicine, healthcare, science, engineering and technology has the potential to whet the appetite among pupils for a career in one of these key areas.

It could easily, if well run, provide a good supply of people who could, for instance, go into full medical careers but also many who may be capable of performing health-related supporting roles which do not require a university education.

It will be interesting to see what support the new venture receives from both the public and the authorities as work progresses to secure funding and identify a good site.

If successful, such a school has the potential to create a model for other establishments specially-tailored to meet the district’s particular needs in terms of skills and educational requirements.

The district has a fast-growing young population and schemes like this could provide the key to unlock that huge potential.