IN-DEPTH: UTCS


UTCs - a fast track to some amazing destinations


U


niversity Technical Colleges describe themselves as 'an educational journey


with a destination in mind.' While exam grades still matter, the proof of the colleges' effectiveness is what happens when their students leave. In this exclusive piece for Education Today, education journalist Sal McKeown shares some of those students’ stories. This year was a little different from usual. Normally apprenticeships account for about a quarter of student destinations and 80% of these are in STEM related areas. This year it was down to 15% because of the state of the economy. Companies are reluctant to commit to contracts of employment while things are so uncertain with Covid and Brexit. However, university entrance increases year on year:


• 55% of year 13 leavers this summer went to university - this number is rising year on year


• 70% went off to do science subjects at university compared to 40% nationally


• The three main areas where UTCs score very highly are computing, engineering and construction


• Half of UTC university candidates choose these areas which is four times the national average


The figures that are a particular source of


delight to Simon Connell, CEO of Baker Dearing Educational Trust, are the statistics for gender ethnicity and disadvantage: 'We have just 3% who are NEETs, which is below the national average,' he said, 'and a higher percentage in all these categories going on to university. So, we are doing right by the people who need us most.' The DfE seem to value destinations less than


the exams as they manage to publish grades very quickly but take two years to publish destinations. It is a different picture for UTCs. Destinations are the bread-and-butter for UTCs


and they encourage every member to have a senior person responsible for employer engagement focusing on this and not just as another duty added on. At Reading UTC, Mike Halliday has this responsibility and supports Reading and three others in getting employers involved in projects building links for work experience.


Putting theory into practice Working with employers and spending time in different work environments can be transformative as Christopher Simpson found. He is currently Z-Tech’s IT Support Assistant and they have funded him to do a Degree level Apprenticeship in Digital Technologies. 'I would not have got this apprenticeship if I hadn't gone to Greater Peterborough UTC. At my


Christopher Simpson


school the only path was university. I found this difficult as I could never truly picture myself there. ‘The way they teach at the UTC really helps


ground what we are learning in reality. This feeling is reinforced by the near constant involvement by sponsors so we know we are learning something that is useful, rather than an abstract concept that will never see the light of day. ‘GPUTC gave me a chance to see and connect with employers and find what I wanted to do.'


Mentoring and individual support 'For some children, parents and teachers are the only adults they know,’ said Simon Connell, 'and they need to widen their circle if they are to expand their opportunities.' WMG Academy for Young Engineers in


Coventry helped Miranda Bishop-Timings. They helped her apply for an ICE QUEST Scholarship with Morgan Sindall. One of the key benefits of this was that she was guaranteed a work placement every summer and these are usually very hard to find. 'They advised me on my application and wrote


me a reference but also gave me lots of experience of interviews on both sides of the table. As I result when I went for my interview, I was really comfortable with the whole process.' She has worked on projects such as Ainsdale


Station in Liverpool, the A414 in Harlow and the Terminal 4 link bridges at Heathrow airport. 'I can finally say I am a civil engineer. I have a


Masters in Civil Engineering from Coventry University and I am now working for Morgan Sindall on the Birmingham Sprint routes, building bus routes and bus shelters to regenerate Birmingham's infrastructure in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games.'


10 www.education-today.co.uk


Miranda Bishop-Timings February 2021


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