Sixth form students learn importance of health and safety during tour of Ron Dearing UTC’s expansion site

Engineering students at Ron Dearing UTC gained vital health and safety knowledge thanks to the team behind construction of the school’s expansion.

The UTC is currently increasing student places from 600 to 800 to meet growing demand, redeveloping space in the existing school building, and renovating and repurposing the former Central Fire Station next door to the school into a satellite site.

Contractor Sewell Construction invited eight Year 12 students to a “Toolbox Talk” and shared their specialist knowledge on health and safety, showing the students how work on the fire station site is progressing and enabling them to visit the site offices.

Dave Major, Sewell Construction Project Manager led the tour alongside Sean Boynton, Safety, Environmental and Compliance (SEC) Manager and Sewell Quantity Surveyor Richard Hoe.

They spoke about the importance of wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on site, how waste is tracked when it leaves the site, first aid, site inductions and relevant paperwork.

Ron Dearing UTC students learning more about health and safety from Sewell Construction.

 

They also explained how the construction team works with the local community and the measures Sewell Construction puts in place to look after its own workforce and supply chain, including mental health support.

In addition, Dave shared knowledge on erecting scaffolding and controlling dust on site and the students were encouraged to ask questions during the visit.

Dave said: “There’s nothing more important than our people going home safely and our procedures support our teams in achieving this.

“All of these checks and processes ensure we’re as safe as we can be. Safety comes first and everything you do has a risk assessment. It’s about preventing accidents and stopping things from becoming a problem.”

Sewell Construction is planning to hold a further Toolbox Talk focused on sustainability as the project progresses.

The team has recently achieved the business’ highest ever “Considerate Constructors” score of 44 out of 45 during a recent audit on site. The scheme is independently run and supports and guides positive change in the construction industry.

Ron Dearing UTC students on a tour of the school’s expansion.

 

Construction teams are assessed on respecting the community, caring for the environment, and valuing the workforce.

Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal – Employer Engagement at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “The Toolbox Talk was a fantastic opportunity for our students to experience health and safety in the workplace, learning from industry specialists on site.

“As health and safety is the most important part of engineering and the construction industry, it’s vital that the talent of tomorrow has a sound understanding of how it is applied.

“Thank you to the Sewell Construction team and Sean for taking the time to share their knowledge with our students. It was a very valuable experience for all involved.”

Year 12 student Harry Wilson, 16, said: “I learnt a lot from the talk. I didn’t realise how much goes into the planning side of a project, including health and safety, before construction can start. It was really interesting, and I can see how important health and safety is.”

Fellow Year 12 student Skylar Dawson, also 16, said: “There is a lot to think about in health and safety. It’s so much more than I ever realised and very important. I enjoyed the tour and I’m interested to see how the fire station will look when it’s finished.”

Former Ron Dearing UTC students begin apprenticeships with global renewable energy leader

Global wind power leader Siemens Gamesa has employed five apprentices from Hull’s Ron Dearing UTC.

The company, which has world-class wind turbine manufacturing, assembly and logistics operations at Alexandra Dock in Hull, is a Founding Partner of the school and has employed a total of seven apprentices since 2019.

Of those employed this year, four production apprentices are based at the Hull Blade Factory on Alexandra Dock while completing their studies with training and consultancy company CQM, and one construction apprentice is undergoing her training at Airco in Goulton Street, west Hull, before working on offshore wind turbine sites.

Kavin Horncastle, Ben Skoof, Lewis Stevenson and Harvey Atkins, all 18, are completing their two-year production apprenticeships and will rotate around various departments during their training, while Lucy Good, also 18, is completing a four-year construction apprenticeship.

Lewis, who achieved a Distinction in Double Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC and will also bolster his apprenticeship with one day per week at college from next year, said: “I’m involved in preparing the wind turbine blades before they’re fully finished, including repairing moulds and laying fibre glass and filters.

From left, Siemens Gamesa production apprentices Harvey Atkins and Kavin Horncastle, construction apprentice Lucy Good and fellow production apprentices Ben Skoof and Lewis Stevenson.

 

“I knew I wanted an apprenticeship because I want to learn valuable skills on the job while earning money and working in a real life environment is the best place to do that.

“Siemens Gamesa is a great company to work for and everyone is very supportive. I’d like to progress as much as possible here and get a job in the engineering department after my apprenticeship.

“As a Ron Dearing UTC student, I learnt the manufacturing side of engineering alongside the theory, which has really helped me in my apprenticeship.”

Lucy hopes to work as a Wind Turbine Technician on wind farms in countries including Germany and Denmark and is also studying via North Lindsey College in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, as part of her apprenticeship.

Lucy, who achieved a Distinction in Triple Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “I’m training to be an electrician to service wind turbines.

“I’m currently learning about health and safety, first aid and working at heights, and I’ve already worked with plugs, sockets and one and two-way circuits.

Construction apprentice Lucy Good is loving life at Siemens Gamesa.

 

“While it’s a male-dominated industry, this hasn’t been a problem for me at all, and I want to travel the world with this job and show that other women can do the same.

“Ron Dearing UTC is a great place to study and I learnt so much which has been transferable to my apprenticeship. I’m really enjoying it so far.”

Siemens Gamesa is a leader in the renewable energy industry, working to provide the world’s best offshore and onshore wind turbines and services.

The company regularly sets employer-led projects for Ron Dearing UTC students, enabling them to learn manufacturing processes as part of their studies.

Staff also volunteer their time to run employability skills workshops, including mock interviews and showing students how to process data to support manufacturing and decision making.

Andy Sykes, Plant Director at Siemens Gamesa, said: “It’s vitally important we engage and inspire the next generation. Our partnership with Ron Dearing UTC is going from strength-to-strength and it gives students a fantastic grounding in readiness for work.

“I was incredibly impressed by the apprentices’ approach and interview skills and it gives me a great deal of confidence that they understand what it takes to be successful.

“The feedback from their managers has been very positive and I’m looking forward to them being able to apply their learning.”

Smart tech company takes on four former UTC students

Four former Ron Dearing UTC students are settling into trainee developer roles after smart tech company Sauce welcomed them to the world of work.

Alan Strauhs, Jake Morris, Sam Osborne and Ellis Calow, all 18, completed a three-month internship at Sauce over the summer and were all promoted to trainee developers as part of a 12-month programme.

If successful, they will then progress to junior software developer roles and continue their careers at the company, based in Hull’s Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) tech hub in the city’s Fruit Market.

Sauce is an award-winning business specialising in working with large, traditional companies as their digital partners, creating innovative solutions to key business challenges across multiple sectors to keep them ahead of the technology curve.

Alan, who excelled in Maths and Digital Technology at Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form, is helping to write codes for apps at Sauce.

Sauce trainee developers, left to right, Alan Strauhs, Ellis Calow, Jake Morris and Sam Osborne, with the company’s Chief Technology Officer John Polling, centre.

 

He said: “My job is going very well and I’ve learnt so much already. It’s very fast-paced and I’m working on real projects for clients.

“Ron Dearing UTC staff treated us as adults and the school replicates a professional working environment, which helped prepare us for work.

“Sauce is a great place to start my career and I hope I can stay. It’s a really good job to secure straight from sixth form and my colleagues provide great support.”

Jake, who also excelled in his Maths and Computer Science studies at Ron Dearing UTC, is involved in coding, quality assurance and testing apps at Sauce.

He said: “Sauce is a great environment to work in and we all work as a team.

“The Computer Science course I studied at Ron Dearing UTC was hands-on and I learnt a lot of skills which are helping in my work, including website and app development, coding, reviewing and testing. It helped me to appreciate user experience and user interface.

Sauce’s new trainees are loving their work.

 

“Technology moves so quickly and can often become outdated. Working at Sauce means you work with the latest technology and you move with it all the time, which I enjoy.”

This is the first time Sauce, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing, has employed a group of students from the UTC and there are plans to offer additional students similar opportunities in the future as its team of more than 30 employees continues to grow.

Former student Lewis Taylor was also employed in a Support Developer role on a short-term contract at Sauce last year before moving on to university.

John Polling, Chief Technology Officer at Sauce, said: “The trainees have done so well so quickly and they’re already contributing to coding on real life projects for clients, which is really impressive and promising.

“The internship gave them chance to showcase their skills before we offered them all a 12-month traineeship.

“They’re all really keen and the fact they’ve all progressed so well gives us even more confidence for employing more students from Ron Dearing UTC in the future.”

Luxinar opens up world of opportunity for 10 former Ron Dearing UTC students

CO2 laser manufacturer Luxinar has employed 10 former Ron Dearing UTC students in a range of apprenticeship roles as the business continues to grow.

Luxinar, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has installed thousands of lasers worldwide for use in a vast range of industries and applications and the company has now taken on apprentices from the employer-led school for the second consecutive year.

The apprenticeships range from Quality Assurance (QA) and Information Technology (IT) roles to workshop positions and a range of general engineering posts based at Luxinar’s headquarters at Bridgehead Business Park in Hessle.

Apprentices in the general engineering positions experience each area of the business on a rotation basis as part of their two-year Level 3 apprenticeships, including manufacturing, service, after-sales, soldering and wiring.

Dan Greenacre, 18, is completing a Level 3 Engineering Technician apprenticeship over three years and also studies at East Riding College one day per week.

Dan, who studied double Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “I’m based in the workshop at Luxinar and I’m making parts for lasers, as well as picking up any repairs for customers. I’m really enjoying the job and being part of a great team.

“Being a student at Ron Dearing UTC helped me to be sure of what I wanted to do. I learnt a lot and the staff were so helpful. I’m looking forward to progressing at Luxinar.”

Aiden Tiffany, 18, is completing a one-year Level 3 Improvement Technician apprenticeship at Luxinar and is supported by Leeds-based external training provider Springfield Training Ltd on a regular basis.

Ten former Ron Dearing UTC students have begun apprenticeships at CO2 laser manufacturer Luxinar. They are pictured with Chris Newman, Luxinar’s Learning and Development Lead, third from right.

 

Aiden, who studied double and single Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “My apprenticeship is going really well so far.

“I work in the improvement team to find solutions to problems and make sure they don’t happen again. I also carry out dispatch inspections on the lasers before they’re distributed.

“I always knew I wanted an apprenticeship because you can learn on the job, combine the theory and practical elements and get paid.

“Ron Dearing UTC supported me to get the qualifications I needed and helped me through the whole application process. Luxinar is a great company to work for.”

Aimee Laws, 19, is completing an 18-month Level 3 IT Technician apprenticeship at Luxinar and is also supported by Springfield Training Ltd.

She studied double Digital Technology and single Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC and is currently coding software to digitise documents connected to the lasers at Luxinar.

Aimee said: “This is exactly what I wanted to do. It’s challenging and a big project for the business but I’m really enjoying it.

Chris Newman, Luxinar’s Learning and Development Lead, with some of the company’s new apprentices.

 

“I learnt coding at Ron Dearing UTC and it has given me a head start in my apprenticeship. Working a 40-hour week at Ron Dearing UTC has also helped with the transition to a working environment. I’m excited for the future.”

Luxinar appointed four Ron Dearing UTC apprentices within the business last year, taking the total number to 14 with this year’s intake.

Chris Newman, Learning and Development Lead at Luxinar, said: “This is the first year we’ve had QA, IT and workshop apprentices because they’re new positions within the business. As we’ve taken on Ron Dearing UTC apprentices before, we knew they’d be up to the challenge and they’ve proven that.

“They’ve arrived with a professional attitude, they’re very friendly and they all have a willingness to learn and ask questions, which is down to the grounding they’ve had at Ron Dearing UTC.

“The feedback from their managers has been excellent. We couldn’t have asked for more and they’re exceeding our expectations, building on their skills and growing in confidence. We’re looking forward to seeing them progress.”

Leading businesses employ dozens of former Ron Dearing UTC students in host of exciting roles

Dozens of former Ron Dearing UTC students have embarked on exciting career paths for the fourth consecutive year, securing apprenticeships and employment with leading businesses.

Sixty-five of the employer-led school’s 127 Year 13 sixth form students secured apprenticeships and 41 went to university, including 14 at one of the prestigious Russell Group universities.

Five students from the Hull school moved on to further education colleges, 16 secured employment and one joined the Armed Forces.

The apprenticeships cover a wide range of roles and skills, from Engineering and Digital to Quality Assurance (QA) and Information Technology (IT), while several students have secured traineeship opportunities in software development positions.

CO2 laser manufacturer Luxinar, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has taken on 10 apprentices this year after employing four in 2021. The company, based at Bridgehead Business Park in Hessle, has installed thousands of lasers worldwide for use in a vast range of industries and applications.

Sauce trainee developers, left to right, Alan Strauhs, Ellis Calow, Jake Morris and Sam Osborne, with the company’s Chief Technology Officer John Polling, centre.

 

Chris Newman, Luxinar’s Learning and Development Lead, said: “We’re delighted to take on a further 10 apprentices from the UTC and they’ve settled in really well.

“They’ve arrived with a professional attitude, they’re very friendly and they all have a willingness to learn and ask questions, which is down to the grounding they’ve had at Ron Dearing UTC.

“The feedback from their managers has been excellent. We couldn’t have asked for more and they’re exceeding our expectations, building on their skills and growing in confidence.”

Smart tech company Sauce, a Major Partner of the UTC, has employed four former Ron Dearing students as trainee developers as part of a 12-month programme following an initial three-month internship this year.

If successful, all four will progress to junior software developer roles and continue their careers at the company, based in Hull’s Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) tech hub in the city’s Fruit Market.

Ten former Ron Dearing UTC students have begun apprenticeships at CO2 laser manufacturer Luxinar. They are pictured with Chris Newman, Luxinar’s Learning and Development Lead, third from right.

 

The award-winning Sauce team specialises in working with large, traditional companies as their digital partners, creating innovative solutions to key business challenges across multiple sectors to keep them ahead of the technology curve.

John Polling, Chief Technology Officer at Sauce, said: “The trainees have done so well so quickly and they’re already contributing to coding on real life projects for clients, which is really impressive and promising.

“They’re all really keen and the fact they’ve all progressed so well gives us even more confidence for employing more students from Ron Dearing UTC in the future.”

Global wind power leader Siemens Gamesa, a Founding Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has employed five apprentices from the school this year, taking the total number of former UTC students employed since 2019 to seven.

Of those employed this year, four production apprentices are based at the company’s world-class wind turbine manufacturing, assembly and logistics operations at Alexandra Dock in Hull. One construction apprentice is undergoing her training at Airco in Goulton Street, west Hull, before working on offshore wind turbine sites.

From left, Siemens Gamesa production apprentices Harvey Atkins and Kavin (correct) Horncastle, construction apprentice Lucy Good, and fellow production apprentices Ben Skoof and Lewis Stevenson.

 

Andy Sykes, Plant Director at Siemens Gamesa, said: “It’s vitally important we engage and inspire the next generation. I was incredibly impressed by the apprentices’ approach and interview skills and it gives me a great deal of confidence that they understand what it takes to be successful.

“The feedback from their managers has been very positive and I’m looking forward to them being able to apply their learning.”

Leading engineering business Spencer Group, also one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners, has taken on 14 apprentices from the school this year. The company has employed 42 apprentices from the UTC in just three years, including 14 in 2019, five in 2020 and nine in 2021.

Former Ron Dearing students now make up a significant proportion of the company’s workforce of more than 300 directly-employed staff.

Charlie Spencer OBE, Executive Chairman and founder of Spencer Group, said: “As a growing business, it’s essential we bring in and develop young talent and that’s exactly what we’re doing with these exceptional young apprentices.”

Charlie Spencer OBE, Executive Chairman and founder of Spencer Group, with Yvonne Moir, HR Director at Spencer Group, left, and Sarah Pashley, Principal at Ron Dearing UTC, right, and 14 new Spencer Group apprentices.

 

Opened in 2017, Ron Dearing UTC caters for students aged between 14 and 19, offering a unique model of employer-led education with a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering.

It is currently increasing student places from 600 to 800 to meet growing demand, redeveloping space in the existing school building and renovating and repurposing the former Central Fire Station next door to the school into a satellite site.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We’re incredibly proud of our track record of supporting students to secure positive destinations when they leave our sixth form.

“This year is no exception and it’s fantastic to see them settling in so well in a range of roles across a variety of sectors.

“Thank you to our staff and employer partners for their continued support and opening up so many wonderful opportunities for our students. They have very bright futures ahead of them.”

Dozens of former Ron Dearing UTC students embrace university life

More than 40 former Ron Dearing UTC students who left the school’s sixth form this year to go to university have settled into studying their degrees.

A total of 41 of the UTC’s 127 Year 13 students moved onto university as their chosen destination, including 14 who secured a place at some of the prestigious Russell Group of universities.

They are studying a wide range of courses, from Prosthetics and Ethical Hacking to Cyber Security, Architecture and Fine Art.

Former Year 13 student Sherry Atkinson-Burton, 18, is studying a four-year degree in Games Design at Leeds Beckett University after excelling in her triple Computing studies at Ron Dearing UTC.

Sherry said: “I’ve always had an interest in games and I’d like to work with businesses within the industry I’ve always followed.

Sherry Atkinson-Burton.

 

“Being a student at Ron Dearing UTC definitely helped me to find the right university course and helped me to build my confidence.

“I have Dyslexia and Dyspraxia and the support and teaching I received from the staff was brilliant. It’s a great place to study and the staff support your ambitions.”

Kian Adams, 18, also left Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form this year and is now studying a three-year Creative Writing degree at Brunel University London.

Kian, who studied double Computing and Maths at the UTC, said: “University is going really well and I’m really enjoying my course.

“I want to become a published author of fantasy and fiction books in the future and this course includes a unit on sci-fi, fantasy and that style of writing, which is why I was drawn to it.

Kian Adams.

 

“Ron Dearing UTC helped me to become more rounded as a person and the staff were really supportive. The teachers have their own specialisms and so much experience, which really helped us as students.”

Fellow former Ron Dearing UTC student Jordan Harwood, 19, is studying a two-year Fine Art foundation degree at Hull College, followed by a further year of study to complete her full degree.

Jordan, who studied Art and Creative Digital at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “My course is great. It’s fast-paced and I can focus on Art while learning something new all the time. I’d really like to get involved in character design, illustration or become an Art Director.

“Ron Dearing UTC prepared me for my course, higher education and for work in the future.

“The style of teaching at the UTC is great because the teachers are so passionate about their subjects. I chose to further my education rather than follow an apprenticeship route because it gives me more time to enhance my skills.”

Jordan Harwood.

 

Haitam Amudi, 18, is also settling in well at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, where he is studying a four-year degree in Prosthetics and Orthotics.

His ambition is to become a Prosthetist, making artificial limbs for people with disabilities, improving their mobility and helping them to live as pain free as possible.

Haitam, who studied Maths, Chemistry and Biology in Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form and left in summer, said: “I want to help improve people’s lives and my course is very interesting, covering a good mix of manufacturing and problem solving.

“Ron Dearing UTC helped me to develop my professional skills, including communication and confidence, and the projects we completed helped me to come out of my shell and get me to this point.

“I always knew university was for me. I’m the first person from my family to go to university and I’m really proud of that.”

Haitam Amudi.

 

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “Ron Dearing UTC has a fantastic reputation for engineering, digital and creative studies.

“This year we’ve also seen many students progress into financial, health and other sectors and continue their education at university or other further and higher education establishments, which is great to see.

“We’re really proud of all our students and the paths they’ve chosen and we’re looking forward to following their journeys as they move forward to bright and successful futures.”