Businesses unite for UTC success.

“The involvement of business is key and critical to the success of Doncaster University Technical College (UTC)” that’s according to The Rt Hon. Lord Kenneth Baker who was speaking at a recent launch event in the town.

Lord Baker, who is Chairman and Trustee of Baker-Dearing Educational Trust, which sits at the centre of the UTC network and focuses on promoting and supporting new and existing UTCs, was in Doncaster as part of the business event aimed at encouraging more organisations to get involved in the UTC and help shape its curriculum.

Lord Baker said: “I am looking forward to September 2020 when Doncaster University Technical College will join the other 50 UTCs across the UK.  It will train local young people from the ages of 13-19 to become the technicians and engineers needed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Local employers and both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University have pledged to support this UTC as they know it will help meet the need for highly skilled workers. The involvement of business is absolutely key and critical to the success of the Doncaster UTC and I was really pleased to attend the event and see for myself how much industry in and around Doncaster is already behind the project.”

As well as Lord Baker, guests heard from Dan Fell, Chief Executive Officer for Doncaster Chamber and Chair of the UTC’s steering group, Helen Redford-Hernandez, Headteacher at Hungerhill School and Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster.

Key existing business partners of the UTC such as Pennine Stone Ltd and Hitachi, were also on hand to provide guests with an insight into working with Doncaster UTC, how it will benefit partner organisations, and the fantastic work and results seen elsewhere in the country.

Last year, the UTC gained approval from the Department for Education to open in the centre of Doncaster in September 2020. It will be a distinctive school for 13-19 year olds led by employers to provide an innovative and engaging applied learning environment and unique learning experience. With a core curriculum based around STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, the UTC will provide an opportunity for learners to specialise across four defined pathways; rail, digital design, construction and infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.

Chief Executive Officer for Doncaster Chamber, Dan Fell, who is also Chair of the UTC steering group said: “It was wonderful to see firms from across the region unite in their support of the UTC at this event. Industry has been asking us for a number of years to find a way to build the next generation of skilled technicians, engineers, scientists and designers and the UTC is the answer so we now want to develop our partnerships with businesses in the area to make it a success. It’s absolutely vital that project based learning with in the UTC is in collaboration with businesses.

“We are determined to give Doncaster an educational progression route that will help to provide a workforce for the future and ensure Doncaster’s economic sustainability in the advanced engineering, rail and digital design sectors. It’s not too late for businesses to get involved so please do get in touch if you want to find out more.”

University Technical Colleges are government-funded schools that offer young people of all abilities and backgrounds a great deal more than traditional schools. They teach students technical and scientific subjects in an innovative way and prepare them to meet the challenges of employment or higher level study to create a highly qualified and skilled workforce for the 21st century.

The talented students produced by this UTC will benefit not just the region, but also the country, as they contribute to national growth in the engineering sector.

Photo caption: Dan Fell, Ros Jones and Lord Kenneth Baker at the business launch event of Doncaster UTC.

For more information go to www.doncasterutc.co.uk

Released on behalf of Doncaster UTC by Sidekick PR. For further information please email info@sidekickpr.com or call 0333 344 9993.

Posted: 14 March, 2019

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