University Technical College Plymouth welcomes its first students

Students are today (Monday 9 September) taking their first steps through the doors of a new state-of-the-art engineering and advanced manufacturing college in Plymouth – and beginning their journey towards becoming the engineers and scientists of the future.

University Technical College Plymouth, the brand new £8 million cutting-edge teaching institution in Devonport, aims to nurture some of the region’s best and brightest young people in the science, technology and engineering industries.

The Year 10 and 12 students starting at the college today will find themselves surrounded by high-tech facilities including seven ‘mega-workshops’ where they will gain practical, hands-on skills in areas such as product design, pneumatics, hydraulics and precision engineering.

UTC Plymouth offers students aged 14-to-19 a curriculum that blends traditional GCSEs and A-Levels and other vocational qualifications with practical projects set by employer partners such as Babcock International, Princess Yachts, Kawasaki Precision Machinery, Ginsters, Rittal-CSM, Pipex, Tool-Tech and Spinnaker.

Mary Cox, Principal at UTC Plymouth, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome our students here on what will be the first day of their new and exciting learning journeys, leading them towards their future careers in the world of science, engineering and technology. It is, of course, also the first day we officially operate as a college and we have a truly enviable environment in which to inspire and encourage young people.

“We’ve reached this point with the help of many, all of whom I’d like to thank: the determination and drive of our project and construction teams, the support of our sponsors, the passion of local businesses and our excellent team of staff who have created a fantastic and exciting curriculum. Nurturing some of this country’s finest engineering and manufacturing talent begins today.”

UTC Plymouth is sponsored by Plymouth University, Plymouth City Council and City College Plymouth, and has close links with influential Plymouth-based employers, who will provide students with current, relevant and sought-after skills in the science and technology industries.

Plymouth was one of only 28 cities to be awarded government funding in October 2011 to create the country’s first batch of University Technical Colleges. The Council contributed the equivalent of £1.3 million when it agreed a 125-year lease for the land on which the college stands (previously Parkside Community College). Stride Treglown designed the college and BAM construction carried out the physical refurbishment and build in just one year, starting in September 2011.

Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth University, said: “UTC Plymouth is a landmark educational facility for our city – delivering education with technical skills and developing craftsmanship in line with what employers want, and transforming the lives of the young people to become the engineers and technicians of tomorrow.

“Over the months we have watched UTC Plymouth rise up and take shape, a beacon of regeneration in historic Devonport, showing how partnership with the University and business can drive enterprise and deliver real community benefits.”

With a catchment area 45km in radius from Devonport, UTC Plymouth has capacity for 600-plus students, with two points of entry – at the beginning of Year 10 when GCSE exam study begins and Year 12 when students enter into the sixth form. Students ‘work’ for 40 weeks of the year from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, in a bid to better reflect the world of work, so there will be no homework or out-of-hours assignments.

As well as the academic and practical learning devised with partners – which will enable students to take technical or professional routes through the curriculum – students will also take part in sport and other activities with an emphasis on building entrepreneurial, innovation and employability skills. Each has been given a laptop to encourage a more realistic and dynamic work-based learning experience.

Councillor Nicky Williams, Cabinet member for Children and Young People, said: “To really teach young people, you must first capture their imaginations and I strongly believe UTC Plymouth will do that. It’s captured ours and inspired us to achieve a great deal in a very short space of time. It’s one of the ways we are growing our way out of the economic hard times. It has created jobs, encouraged growth and will produce a highly sought-after workforce to complement the city’s vision for the future – to be the wealth generator of the South West by leading in marine matters for the UK.

"By providing our young people with a wide range of excellent schools and colleges to choose from, we are giving them the best possible start in life.”

By 2017, it’s expected that UTC Plymouth will have filled all of its available places as recruitment continues for each new-year group.