Lord Baker witnesses work starting on new £9.5m UTC

Key partners attend groundbreaking ceremony.

PICTURE: Lord Baker who visited Scunthorpe to see work start on the project.

THE Rt Hon Lord Baker witnessed the start of work to build the new £9.5-million Humber University Technical College (UTC) – the first of its kind in the Yorkshire and Humber region – that will create 600 student places and 220 jobs. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Wednesday, July 30, in Church Square, Scunthorpe.

Lord Baker (Baker Dearing Trust) was accompanied by key partners spearheading the development – Coun Liz Redfern (leader, North Lincolnshire Council), Peter Stephenson (executive chairman, Able UK Ltd), Jon Bolton (director, long products, Tata Steel), Prof Calie Pistorius (vice chancellor, University of Hull), David Earnshaw (chair of the board, Outwood Grange Academies Trust) and many others involved in the project.

The UTC will be built in the heart of Scunthorpe town centre and project managed by the existing Local Education Partnership (LEP) and its supply chain. It will open to students in September 2015.

The Government funded UTC for 14 to 19 year-olds will have the curriculum designed and delivered by the business and education partners from across the region. It will specialise in bringing the skills for the engineering and renewable energy sector to life – alongside English, maths and science.
Key players in the business sector, leading education providers and dedicated public agencies are making a direct intervention to ensure local people get the opportunities they deserve.
The UTC will prepare young people from North Lincolnshire and the Humber region for the world of work with technical skills and pathway opportunities to gain employment with the partners.

Students will work closely with employers to enable them to be qualified to work in sectors that are growing and looking for skilled staff. All students will work on live projects and showcase them to their future employers throughout their time at Humber UTC.

All successful UTC graduates will be offered an interview with a major employer and conditional offer to study engineering at the University of Hull.

Students can now apply for a full-time place at Humber UTC – for more details visit www.humberutc.co.uk. People will also be able to apply at the North Lincolnshire careers event on October 14, 2014, at the Baths Hall (open to the public at 1.30pm)

Coun Liz Redfern, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The UTC will make a huge difference to young people’s lives and help revitalise the town centre, giving it a new look and purpose. It is what the Humber region needs and I am delighted that it is to be built in Scunthorpe, creating job opportunities for local people. It presents a fantastic opportunity for young people and a range of employers who are keen to recruit the right people with the right skills. It is a great location in the heart of the town and close to the shops, bars and cafes and right next door to our wonderful contemporary 20-21 Visual Art Centre. This project demonstrates excellent partnership working.”

Peter Stephenson, executive chairman, Able UK Ltd, said: “This will give young people a great opportunity to learn and develop. They will have access to all the latest industry technology in a brand new building with some major employers on their doorstep, who are shaping their workforce of the future. Every young person attending the UTC will have every chance of succeeding and we want the next generation to have the right skills to drive our local businesses forward. The sector is a massive growth area in the region and it will need a skilled workforce as it grows further.”

Prof Calie Pistorius, University of Hull, said: “The Humber UTC brings together groundbreaking businesses, world-class education expertise and dedicated public agencies. We believe the UTC will give employers the chance to engage learners at an age where they will be developing a clear sense of who they are, starting to make choices about their own interests and define their work habits, plans and expectations. We are very excited to be a part of this development, and look forward to helping these young people prepare for their future.”

Jon Bolton, director, long products, Tata Steel, said: “We have some incredible opportunities here, not just for young people, but for local businesses too. Tata Steel already has a well-developed apprenticeship scheme, but we know how important it is to provide advanced vocational training and the UTC will do just that. As well as other employee-led programmes such as Industrial Cadets, the UTC will be a major step forward in education and training for this region and help maintain an interest in core STEM subjects. It will help address the skills gap faced by engineering and manufacturing companies in the future.”

Richard Alport, general manager for the LEP, said: “I am absolutely delighted that work is about to start on site at Church Square, following a rapid period of development involving North Lincolnshire Council and the UTC. I am sure this stage could not have been achieved so speedily without the input of all parties, especially our established team of local designers, builders and suppliers whose vast knowledge of building educational facilities was invaluable to the process.”