UTC Swindon announces second open day

Students and parents can discover what UTC Swindon has to offer at its second open day held on Saturday 24 January 2015from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm.

Visitors can go on a guided tour around UTC Swindon’s £10 million state-of-the-art Bristol Street site. The tour takes in light-filled workshops and classrooms that reflect the workplace, the lecture theatre and a hub area where students can generate ideas, socialise and inspire others. The tours will be available from 10.00 am. There will be presentations every hour from 10.00 am and refreshments will be available throughout the day. College staff will be on hand to explain the curriculum.

Angela Barker-Dench, Principal at UTC Swindon, said: “We’re proud to invite prospective students and parents into the building and present the wonderful learning experience on offer here. The building and opening of UTC Swindon was eagerly anticipated across the community, so we’re excited to welcome people through the door.”

UTC Swindon partners will be on hand to discuss the importance of engineering. One of these is Stuart Holland, director of Thermographic Consultancy, the Swindon-based thermal imaging specialist.

Stuart has in-depth technical knowledge of power supplies for industrial, commercial and domestic structures. A former apprentice, he understands the value of building a strong foundation and learning the skills needed to get a foothold in the engineering and manufacturing industries.

Stuart will demonstrate a custom-built 1015mm diameter octocopter, designed to carry small, lightweight high definition cameras with thermal imaging capabilities. The octocopter is flown from a bespoke ground operating station using piloting skill and complex onboard algorithms. The device, which uses GPS (global positioning system), can also follow pre-programmed flight paths. 

As part of the original Great Western Rail works, the UTC Swindon site creates a link between the historic engineering and the engineering future of the local area, with the Old School Building and the iconic Water Tower featuring prominently. Both structures, which are Grade II listed, were treated sympathetically, with the Water Tower being restored and brought back into educational use.

UTC Swindon opened its doors in September 2014. It caters for 600 students aged 14 to 19, providing courses for young people who aspire to a career in engineering. Students at the college can gain the skills necessary across all sectors of the engineering industries.

UTC Swindon is run by a trust sponsored by Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells and Oxford Brookes University. There are over 90 different industry partners involved with the University Technical College.

To apply for a place at UTC Swindon in 2015, email info@utcswindon.co.uk or download the application form at www.utcswindon.co.uk.

For more information, call UTC Swindon on 01793 207920.

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For media enquiries, please contact Emma De Maio, redheadPR, 07921 160 134, emma@redheadpr.co.uk.