A Ron Dearing UTC sixth form student plays four different instruments and is the youngest member of an orchestra, regularly performing in concerts across the region.

Jay Rutter, 17, plays violin, viola, guitar and ukelele, and is a member of Eclectic Music, an orchestra which blends together music and musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds.

The Year 12 student is following in the footsteps of his musical family, as his grandmother plays guitar, hand bells and sings, and his aunt plays cello, ukelele and piano.

Jay, who studies Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Art at Ron Dearing UTC, plays alongside his fellow musicians in Hull weekly and has performed at venues including Beverley Minster and Bridlington Spa in recent years.

He said: “I love music but school always takes priority and I’ve never wanted to play music professionally, as it would take the fun out of it for me. But I have the most affection for my violin, which has been in my family for 40 years and was handed down to me.

 

“I love being a Ron Dearing UTC student because the environment, work ethic, education and friendliness is amazing. The people are brilliant, the opportunities are endless and it’s the best place to be.

“If you have a passion for something and like to be encouraged to do your best, there is nowhere else you should be.”

Jay recently received two awards at Ron Dearing UTC’s Celebration of Achievement evening – the Ron Dearing UTC Art and Design Award for Excellent Achievement and Ron Dearing UTC Creative Talent of the Year 2022/23.

Jay, who is considering a career in aerospace engineering, said: “I’m astounded by these awards and I’m so happy about the creative talent trophy.

“I feel very supported by the Ron Dearing UTC staff and students. We all work together and help each other, so it was really nice to see so many students collecting awards.”

 

Jay joined Eclectic Music when he was 15-years-old and previously performed in the East Riding Youth Orchestra. He is now working towards performing in the orchestra’s “Walk on the Wild Side” concert at Hull Minster on September 22 and 23.

Lynn Collins, Director of Creativity at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “We’re incredibly proud of Jay and everything he has achieved.

“He is a conscientious, imaginative and highly creative student who is passionate about producing innovative art.

“As well as being totally dedicated to his own work, Jay is also a very kind person who is always happy to take time to help other students and staff.

“It’s very impressive that Jay can play four different instruments and is such an accomplished musician. He is a true creative.”

Some of our sixth form engineering students have presented their outstanding science ideas to senior executives of world-leading health, hygiene and nutrition company Reckitt.

Reckitt is one of our Founding Partners, joining other leading businesses in supporting our leadership, governance, curriculum design and delivery, and more, as well as providing additional funding for industry-standard equipment and recruiting expert teachers.

Reckitt’s first ever Festival of Science took place at its Hull Campus and three teams of three Year 12 students from Ron Dearing UTC created proposals on how a Reckitt product, brand or supply process could be developed to help the company meet its commitments in creating a healthier planet.

They presented their ideas to Reckitt’s Global Research and Development (R&D) Leadership Team, who chose the winners.

The winning team, comprising of Scarlet Wedgner, 17, Imogen Connolly, 17, and Tohru Laybourne, 16, focused on how Reckitt could potentially enhance its renewable energy approach using wind power and solar panels.

They were presented with the first ever Sir James Reckitt Future Scientist Award and Ron Dearing UTC was awarded £3,000 to further support our employability activities.

The donation is funded through The Sir James Reckitt Charity’s significant financial contribution related to the Festival of Science. It will support transport for Industry Insight experiences and tours, which students attend with our Employer Partners and other leading businesses.

 

The other two teams focused on how Reckitt could improve its packaging and materials, providing examples of how this could be achieved, and how the business could reduce waste.

They also suggested deposit stations where used containers could be exchanged in return for money and refill shops where products can be topped up after they have been used.

Glenn Jensen, our Senior Assistant Principal for Employer Engagement, said: “It’s fantastic to see our students playing their part in such an important global event, thanks to one of our Founding Partners.

“It was an excellent experience for them and one which will support their enthusiasm for science, engineering and innovation as they consider their next steps.

“Sustainability is such a key part of our curriculum. It’s brilliant to see our students using their knowledge and being able to apply it on the road to net zero.”

As one of our Founding Partners, Reckitt has already employed 10 of our former students in degree apprenticeship roles over the past four years and they continue to thrive on their chosen career paths.

Dr Bruce Charlesworth, Chief Medical Officer and Hull Campus Lead at Reckitt, said: “The students who participated in our Festival of Science wowed our Global R&D Leadership Team with their sustainability knowledge and their ideas for our products and packaging, as well as how to make the energy we use greener.

 

“They showed real depth of knowledge and I’m proud of them all. We had a real struggle in choosing one winning team.

“Every time I meet Ron Dearing UTC students I’m blown away. I love their passion and energy and they bring a very valuable young and real perspective.

“I’m really excited by their insights and they’ve done an amazing job of pulling their ideas together while they’re busy with school and exams.

“I don’t think there are many children of that age who can say they presented to senior executives from one of the world’s biggest companies.”

Dr Charlesworth said Reckitt is pleased to open its doors to inspire young people.

He said: “It’s a bit like going into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory and seeing what we really do, so I hope they’ve taken a lot away from it.

“The gap between academia, industry and education is far too wide and it shouldn’t be, because education is about preparing people for the workplace and for life.

 

“It’s beneficial to us to give them that exposure but beneficial to them to be able to see and experience it, potentially inspiring them work somewhere like Reckitt.”

Student Scarlet, who was part of the winning team, said: “It was a big team effort and a really fun experience. It has definitely added to our employability skills.”

In partnership with Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University, the Festival of Science also saw students from Mersey Primary Academy in east Hull take part in hands-on science workshops and meet Reckitt scientists. They were also challenged to develop a new product or change an element of an existing Reckitt product.

The school was also given £3,000 from The Sir James Reckitt Charity to create a science club, thanks to the donation from The Sir James Reckitt Charity, related to the Festival of Science.

The event was part of Reckitt’s inaugural Science Inside Symposium, a two-day broader programme of activities which recognised scientific talent across the company and showcased its brands and products through posters and presentations. The symposium brought Reckitt’s work to life and is set to become an annual event.

More than 20 leading businesses met hundreds of Ron Dearing UTC students at a Careers Expo organised to help them plan their futures.

The expo was attended by current Year 10 and Year 12 students, as well as new Year 10 and Year 12 students who are joining the UTC in September and their families.

They met staff from 24 employer partners and other outstanding companies, finding out more about careers, potential job opportunities, work experience, required skills and more.

Lisa Regan, Assistant Principal – Horizons Professionalism at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “The aim is to increase students’ knowledge of potential future pathways while building on their networking skills and confidence when speaking to employers.

“This is the highest number of companies we’ve ever had involved in the expo and the response and feedback has been amazing.

 

“This event has opened our students’ eyes to potential jobs and careers they may not have considered and they’ve been able to understand more about the breadth of what the individual businesses offer.”

“One of the best aspects of this year’s expo was welcoming back so many former Ron Dearing UTC students who are now working for our employer partners.”

Staff from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, were among those who attended the Careers Expo, which was held at the UTC.

Watch Manager Ben Thomas said: “None of the students are old enough to join the fire and rescue service yet but you can see the interest is already there. They’re considering what skills they have and how that aligns with particular roles.

“It’s not about being fit and strong. It’s about behaviours and people with integrity and leadership skills who put communities first. We can teach people to be firefighters but we can’t teach people to be decent people.”

 

Wendy Hiley, HR and Talent Acquisition Business Partner at specialist rural broadband provider Quickline, also met students at the expo.

She said: “It’s really important that we provide students with opportunities for the future, giving back to our communities.

“We love to see new talent and new technologies coming through because they can change our thinking for the future.”

Year 11 student Alfie Lansdell, 16, is currently studying photography at Ron Dearing UTC and said he was pleased to attend the expo.

He said: “Ron Dearing UTC is an amazing school and the Careers Expo is the best opportunity I’ve ever had. It was a really good experience and I met people from the Army, Royal Air Force and other great companies.”

Fellow Year 11 student Hayden Taylor, also 16, said: “Everyone at the expo was really easy to talk to and it’s nice to be able to look at so many career options in one place.

“It’s better than looking online and searching for jobs and careers on the internet because you can speak to people in person and find out more.”