University Technical Colleges – a new route into engineering

Steve Capel-Davies
26 August 2014

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Getting more young people into engineering continues to be a challenge. Many firms successfully promote STEM subjects but, despite their efforts, not enough young people know about our profession. 

Peter Brett Associates (PBA) continues to promote STEM through schools and apprenticeships but we are also now involved with another initiative, the University Technical College or UTC. This is beginning to be really successful. The idea, which comes from the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, aims to meet the STEM needs of local businesses. Formed in association with a local university and businesses, UTCs are colleges for 14 to 18 year olds that pay specific attention to target topics. These vary between UTCs and may include science, IT and, importantly for PBA, engineering. 

The UTC approach is inspirational; it relies on local businesses to help shape the specialisations. Those businesses who take part can choose to get involved in a variety of ways which don’t have to take up much time or cost anything. 

So why should local businesses get involved?There are many benefits which include:

• Local businesses can help to shape the UTC’s new engineers/ technicians 
• Students will have knowledge of the industry before starting work
• Students and businesses can get to know each other before employment
• Existing staff gain valuable experience through working with students and tutors.

At UTC Reading, PBA, along with three other main sponsors have helped devise the curriculum and bring in the first students.  Our involvement, which will continue over the long-term, includes holding joint events, giving topical talks and, this year, setting a real design project. We helped run the project as a competition with our own staff acting as mentors, helping the students realise what they could achieve. We also judged the results and the finalists were really inspiring. Some of these students are already starting summer placements. 

Seventeen UTCs are open and a further 30 planned by 2016 – so it’s a good time to find out what’s near you. The UTC approach is inspirational; it relies on local businesses to help shape the specialisations. Those businesses who take part can choose to get involved in a variety of ways which don’t have to take up much time or cost anything. 

Additionally, PBA is involved with the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership. The LEP has recently received significant funding to promote STEM subjects, support apprenticeships and build Solution Labs – all of which will support new routes into careers in engineering and science. 

There are lots of local initiatives that will benefit our profession. But they need support from businesses to succeed. So get involved!

Steve Capel-Davies is a partner at Peter Brett Associates LLP