UTC Swindon is one of 13 new university technical colleges (UTCs) opening across the country this September. UTCs let 14-18 year olds combine academic subjects with technical and practical learning in areas such as engineering, manufacturing, medical technology and biomedical and environmental science. These skills are essential to the UK’s future economic growth.
To mark the opening of UTC Swindon, media representatives are invited to a photocall at the college on the opening morning as the first students arrive through the gates.
Photocall details:
Date - Tuesday 16 September 2014
Time - 8.30am
Location - UTC Swindon, Bristol Street, Swindon, SN1 5ET
Description - UTC Swindon principal, Angela Barker-Dench to cut the ribbon at the college gates as students arrive on the first day of term.
Lord Kenneth Baker, chairman of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, which promotes the concept of university technical colleges, said: “I am delighted to see a further 13 UTCs opening this month, taking the number of UTCs open to 30. These innovative schools produce highly skilled young people who are desperately needed to further the economic growth of our country.
“The UTC movement is expanding rapidly with the backing of the government and industry support. Of all the new schools opening in England, only UTCs specifically aim to fill the skills gaps in our economy. We want to see as many UTCs as there were grammar schools at their peak.”
More than 60 employers including Jaguar Land Rover, National Grid, CISCO Systems, and British Airways PLC are backing the new UTCs. They will work closely with teachers at UTCs to ensure students have the expertise, employability skills and knowledge to meet the future needs of employers.
Talking about the opening of UTC Swindon, Principal Angela Barker-Dench said: “It is gratifying to see everything finally come together after a year of hard work. We are now looking forward to opening our doors to the students on Tuesday 16 September.
“Working with the Baker Dearing Educational Trust has been a privilege. They helped and supported us every step of the way towards this goal. UTC Swindon will give students the foundations to build fantastic careers by giving them the skills industry is crying out for.”
Each of the 13 UTCs opening in September 2014 has its own specialist focus. They are as follows:
Name
of UTC | Technical
specialism |
Elutec
(Dagenham) | Engineering,
Manufacturing, Product Design |
Energy Coast
UTC (Cumbria) | Construction
and Engineering, Energy |
Heathrow
Aviation Engineering UTC (Northwood) | Aviation
Engineering |
Lincoln UTC | Engineering
and Core Science |
Sir Charles
Kao UTC (Harlow) | Smart Environments
and Medical Technology |
The GM
(Greater Manchester Sustainable Engineering UTC) (Oldham) | Sustainable
Engineering and Construction |
The Leigh UTC | Computer
Science, Engineering |
The Watford
UTC | Computer
Science, Hospitality and Tourism |
Tottenham UTC | Technology and
Science for Sport, Health and Engineering |
University
Technical College Cambridge | Biomedical and
Environmental Science and Technology |
University
Technical College Norfolk | Advanced
Engineering, Energy Skills |
UTC Swindon | Engineering with
Business, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship |
WMG Academy
for Young Engineers (Warwick) | Engineering with Digital Technology |
For more information about UTCs visit www.utcolleges.org.
For more information about UTC Swindon, call 07990
601 516
Like UTC Swindon on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/utcswindon
Follow us on Twitter: @utcswindon
Editors NoteS
The employers backing UTCs opening in September 2014 are:
Apex Lifts
Automotive Insulations Ltd
Bluewater
Bosch Rexroth Group
British Airways PLC
Brocade Communications UK
Ltd
BT Group plc
Buckmore Park Karting Ltd
CAE
Cambridge Cleantech
Cambridge University
Hospitals
Caterham Cars
Centre for Engineering and
Manufacturing Excellence (CEME)
CSB Logistics
Dassault Systemes UK Ltd
EDT North
Enevis Ltd
Equity Solutions
Eurostar International Ltd
Festo GB
Ford of Britain
Fusion Lifestyle
Fusion4IT
Gaia Technologies
Gardline Geosciences Ltd
GlaxoSmithKline
Groundtherm
Heathrow Airport Holdings
Hilton Hotels
Iggesund Paperboard
Jaguar Land Rover
James Walker and Co
Johnson Controls
Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells
Kenard Group Ltd
LGEnergy Group
Lloyd's Register EMEA
Lotus Cars Limited
Mindsets (UK) Limited
Morgan Sindall
MRC Centre Cambridge
Napp Pharmaceutical Holdings
Limited
National Grid
National Instruments
Corporation (UK) Ltd
National Nuclear Laboratory
Nuclear Decommissioning
Authority
Nucleus Training GEN II
Nuvia
Pearson UK
Photon Energy
Princess Alexandra Hospital
Prodrive
Raytheon
Royal Air Force Northolt
Royal Navy
SafeSTS
SCC
Sellafield Ltd
SEM Ltd
Shawn Taylor Racing (STR)
Siemens Industrial
Turbomachinery Limited
Squires Gear and Engineering
Ltd
Tata Motors
The Babraham Institute
The Grove
The TEN Group
TNT Post
Toshiba Information Systems
Tottenham Hotspur Foundation
Tottenham Hotspur Ltd
Football Club
Twin Technology
Virgin Atlantic Airways
Limited
Wellcome Trust Sanger
Institute
WMG Warwick Manufacturing Group (University of Warwick)
Ends
For media enquiries, quotes, case studies & images contact:
Susan Higgins on
020 7960 1540 Mob: 07825 437 691 shiggins@utcolleges.org
Anna Pedroza on 020 7960 1555 Mob: 07813 938 020 apedroza@utcolleges.org
About Baker
Dearing Educational Trust
Baker Dearing Educational Trust was founded by Lord Baker and Lord Dearing to promote the concept of university technical colleges. It is a small, flexible organisation that sits at the centre of the UTC network and focuses on promoting and supporting new and existing UTCs.
About University
Technical Colleges
· The UK needs advanced technical skills if we are to prosper in the 21st century. University technical colleges (UTCs) are teaching the inventors, engineers, scientists and technicians of tomorrow.
· UTCs are technical secondary schools for 14-18 year olds. They offer a broad curriculum that combines an academic education with technical and practical learning.
· UTCs integrate technical, practical and academic learning. They use the latest equipment and technology to provide an environment where students can thrive and develop the skills employers need.
· A university and local employers back each UTC.
· More than 500 employers support UTCs including Rolls-Royce, Siemens, Network Rail and Microsoft, as well as scores of small and medium sized businesses. Together with nearly 50 universities they contribute knowledge and offer opportunities to experience the world of work.
· UTCs teach focus on technical specialisms that meet the skills shortages in the region. These include engineering, manufacturing, health sciences, product design, digital technologies and the built environment.
· 30 UTCs are now open, a further 40 have been approved and there will be 57 by 2016. When fully operational there will be places for more than 35,000 students.
· Students from UTCs stay in full time study, start an apprenticeship or get a job. So far no student has joined the ranks of the unemployed.
· For more information about UTCs visit www.utcolleges.org
For more information about UTC Swindon, call 07990
601 516
Like UTC Swindon on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/utcswindon
Follow us on Twitter:
@utcswindon