A leading company which specialises in non-destructive testing (NDT), inspection and engineering has taken on another former Ron Dearing UTC student, adding to its workforce from the school for the third consecutive year.

IRISNDT has employed Jack Macmillan, 19, as a full time Trainee NDT Technician and he will complete the necessary qualifications at a training school in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, over the next 18 months.

The company is an international blend of asset integrity engineering and non-destructive testing (NDT) companies providing a range of engineering, inspection, testing, heat treatment and software services to the renewable, petro/chemical, oil/gas, utility and transportation industries across the globe.

It has 2,000 employees in Canada, Australia, the USA and the UK, including offices at Saltend Chemicals Park in Hull and in Immingham on the south bank of the Humber.

 

IRISNDT has taken on three former Ron Dearing UTC students as apprentices and two as trainee technicians over three years, including Jack.

Jack, who studied Triple Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “I’m based in radiography and I’m shadowing qualified radiographers and paired with a qualified technician, so I’m learning all the time.

“I saw this job advertised through Ron Dearing UTC and I was interested straight away. We use gamma or X-rays to see if there are any defects in pipes, so they’re safe to use on sites.

“It’s a great job and I love coming to work every day. I’ve also been able to travel, working on a tank farm in Bristol as part of a tank inspection team, as well as on sites locally.

“There are lots of opportunities here and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

Emma Newton, General Manager at IRISNDT, said: “NDT is a really broad career and we’re delighted to partner with Ron Dearing UTC. It’s a fantastic school and the knowledge the students gain there is outstanding with lots of fantastic success stories as a result.

“The students arrive with a really good insight into the world of work, ready to hit the ground running, and they embrace every opportunity which comes their way. Jack has settled in really well.”

A former Ron Dearing UTC student says he is looking forward to a job for life after securing an apprenticeship with the UK’s leading shower manufacturer.

Spencer Kirby, 18, is an apprentice Electrical Maintenance Engineer at Mira Showers and works from their shower tray manufacturing site in Melton, East Yorkshire. Spencer is the first apprentice the company has taken on from the employer-led school.

Mira Showers, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has been at the forefront of the shower market for more than a century, thanks to pioneering developments in technology.

 

Spencer, who studied A-level Physics and the Cambridge Technical Diploma in Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, studies at North Lindsey College in Scunthorpe one day per week as part of his apprenticeship, with the rest of the week spent working at Mira.

He said: “If I wasn’t a Ron Dearing UTC student I don’t think I would have had this opportunity. We had multiple mock interviews and CV training which helped to grow my confidence.

“I’m constantly learning and every day is different. University didn’t really appeal to me and I see this as a job for life.

“I arrive at 8.30am, go into the workshop and get my safety gear on before a walkaround for the daily checks. We follow a computerised maintenance schedule and I deal with breakdowns and smaller projects. I’m really enjoying it.”

Spencer’s apprenticeship was due to be completed over three years but industry-critical skills he gained at Ron Dearing UTC mean it can be completed in two years.

Iain Gillyon, Engineering Manager at Mira Showers, which is part of the global Kohler group, said: “Spencer has fitted in really well and we will potentially take on further apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC in the future.

“Most of our executive team came through the apprenticeship route. Employers have shifted their thinking and you can always study for a degree later on.

“The maturity level of an 18-year-old leaving Ron Dearing UTC is ahead of most 21-year-olds leaving university and that’s down to the UTC teaching style and learning environment.

“The UTC team understand our business and the type of skills we’re looking for, so it works well.”

Nine former Ron Dearing UTC students have begun their careers with global wind power leader Siemens Gamesa.

The company, a Founding Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has employed seven apprentices from the school over the previous two years and a further nine Wind Turbine Technician apprentices this year, taking the total number of former UTC students employed since 2019 to 16.

This year’s intake are learning how to install offshore wind turbines across the globe in a three-and-a-half year Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician apprenticeship, with initial theory and practical training completed at the Humber Energy Skills Training Academy (HESTA) in west Hull.

The apprentices will then move on to various sites for further hands-on experience with the business’ service teams and have the opportunity to work in places as far flung such as Taiwan, Japan and the United States in the future.

 

Tabitha Argent, 18, who studied Double Engineering and Chemistry at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “I’m so proud to have this opportunity because I knew I wanted to work offshore since Year 10. The chance to travel with this job really appeals to me and I’d like to work my way up within the business.

“Everyone has been really welcoming and the training the business offers is excellent. I also like the challenge of it being a traditionally male-dominated industry.

“Being the only female apprentice shows it can be done and women can succeed in this industry just as much as men. I’m excited for the future.”

Isaac Blain, 18, who studied Maths, Physics and Single Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “This apprenticeship is a really good mix of theory and practical learning and I’m gaining a good understanding of how the industry works.

“Travelling for work in the future will mean seeing the world, broadening my horizons and experiencing different cultures, which is a very attractive element of this apprenticeship.

“Working with the Ron Dearing UTC employer partners really helped to build relationships and think about career options.”

Lee Drury, Construction Operations Manager at Siemens Gamesa, said the students have settled in well and are enthusiastic and motivated.

He said: “They’re really keen to learn the electrical and mechanical skills they’ll need in the future.

“Eventually, they’ll be able to carry out all the completion works and operational checks when a wind turbine is installed at sea, ensuring all components work, the required software is in place for the turbine computers and carry out functional checks of electronic and hydraulic systems.

“We have a fantastic relationship with Ron Dearing UTC. Working for us is an excellent opportunity for the students because this is a growing industry and they can gain a qualification as an electrician while working within renewables.”

Students at Ron Dearing UTC met representatives from some of the region’s leading businesses at the school’s annual apprenticeship expo as they consider their next steps.

Sixteen founding and employer partners of the UTC set up information stands in the school’s conference centre before speaking to almost 300 students about careers, apprenticeships and opportunities available to them in industry.

Many of the UTC’s alumni, who are already succeeding in their chosen careers, returned to speak to current students, sharing their knowledge and expertise after following similar paths.

Current students were able to ask questions and meet the faces behind the businesses while gaining vital information ahead of apprenticeship and job applications.

 

Year 13 student Mason Creighton, 17, said: “The expo was really useful because I found out more about how apprenticeships work and lots of information about the different companies which attended.”

 

Year 12 student Ruby Ellis, 16, said: “The expo gave me a good insight into what opportunities are available to us. I really enjoyed it and it was great to meet so many different people.”

Mercy McFarlane, 18, a former RDUTC student now working as an Operations Engineering Apprentice at Founding Partner Smith+Nephew joined her colleagues to speak to current students at the expo.

She said: “Seeing where I started, understanding where the current students are now and helping to guide them on the right path is good feeling.

“I loved being a Ron Dearing student and it helped me to get to where I am today. I love my apprenticeship and I’m working on some really exciting projects.”

 

Corbin Wright, Business Development Manager at CDS Energy Services, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, was among those who attended the expo.

He said: “I spoke to quite a few students and they were very enthusiastic. I’m really impressed by the expo.

“There is a massive labour shortage in our industry and it’s important that everyone gets on board to try and bridge that gap.”

 

Steve Davies, Technical Director at Fisher Security, also a Major Partner of the UTC, said: “I spoke to students about the technology which is available in the security industry and how it can help our customers. It was great to meet them and a brilliant opportunity for them to learn more about what opportunities are out there.”

Ron Dearing UTC ensures its students are as prepared as possible for the world or work, university and any other path they choose to take upon leaving school.

Students take part in mock interview sessions with employers, learn about their personal brand and are given top tips on CV preparation ahead of applications.

 

Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal – Employer Engagement at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “The response from businesses has been outstanding and it’s fantastic to see such a diverse range of employers investing time to grow and nurture local talent. We’re really grateful to all of them.

“It was also brilliant to see so many of our alumni come back to talk about their experiences and help to inspire the next generation.”

Companies represented at the apprenticeship expo were:

• Siemens Gamesa
• Smith+Nephew
• Spencer Group
• Reckitt
• CATCH
• CDS Energy Services
• Cranswick
• Fisher Security
• Ideal Heating
• IRISNDT
• Litmus
• LSTC Group
• Porsche Centre Hull
• Quickline
• Ridings Consulting Engineers
• Wood

All of Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form leavers have settled into fantastic apprenticeships, employment, university courses and the Armed Forces as they set their sights on bright futures.

A total of 68 of Ron Dearing UTC’s 149 Year 13 sixth form students secured apprenticeships, including 55 with the Hull school’s Employer Partners – the most ever taken on by the UTC’s sponsors since it opened its doors in 2017.

A further 47 students went to university, including 13 at one of the prestigious Russell Group universities, 29 went into employment, two moved on to further or higher education colleges and two joined the Armed Forces.

The apprenticeships cover a wide range of roles, including marketing, architectural technicians, wind turbine technicians, mechanical engineers and surveyors, welders, software developers and computer programmers.

 

Global wind power leader Siemens Gamesa, a Founding Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has employed seven apprentices from the school over the previous two years and a further nine Wind Turbine Technician apprentices this year, taking the total number of former UTC students employed since 2019 to 16.

This year’s intake are learning how to install offshore wind turbines across the globe in a Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician apprenticeship, undertaken over three and a half years, with initial theory and practical training completed at the Humber Energy Skills Training Academy (HESTA) in west Hull.

The apprentices will then move on to various sites for further hands on experience with the company’s service teams and have the opportunity to work in places as far flung as Taiwan, Japan and the United States in the future.

Lee Drury, Construction Operations Manager at Siemens Gamesa, said: “The apprentices are really keen to learn the electrical and mechanical skills they’ll need in the future.

“Eventually, they’ll be able to carry out all the completion works and operational checks when a wind turbine is installed at sea, ensuring all components work, the required software is in place for the turbine computers and carry out functional checks of electronic and hydraulic systems.

“We have a fantastic relationship with Ron Dearing UTC. Working for us is an excellent opportunity for the students because this is a growing industry and they can gain a qualification as an electrician while working within renewables.”

 

The UK’s leading shower manufacturer Mira Showers, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has been at the forefront of the shower market for more than a century thanks to pioneering developments in technology.

The company, part of the global Kohler group, has appointed Ron Dearing UTC student Spencer Kirby, 18, as an apprentice Electrical Maintenance Engineer and he is the first apprentice the company has taken on from the school.

Spencer’s apprenticeship was due to be completed over three years, but industry-critical skills he gained at Ron Dearing UTC mean it can be completed in two years.

Iain Gillyon, Engineering Manager at Mira Showers’ trays manufacturing facility in Melton, East Yorkshire, said: “Spencer has fitted in really well and we will potentially take on further apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC in the future.

“Most of our executive team came through the apprenticeship route. Employers have shifted their thinking and you can always study for a degree later on. The maturity level of an 18-year-old leaving Ron Dearing UTC is ahead of most 21 year olds leaving university and that’s down to the UTC teaching style and learning environment.

“The UTC team understand our business and the type of skills we’re looking for, so it works well.”

 

IRISNDT is an international blend of asset integrity engineering and non-destructive testing (NDT) companies providing a range of engineering, inspection, testing, heat treatment and software services to the renewable, petro/chemical, oil/gas, utility and transportation industries across the globe.

The business has 2,000 employees in Canada, Australia, the USA and the UK, including offices at Saltend Chemicals Park in Hull and in Immingham on the south bank of the Humber.

IRISNDT has employed former Ron Dearing UTC student Jack Macmillan, 19, as a full time Trainee NDT Technician and he will complete the necessary qualifications at a training school in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, over the next 18 months.

This is the third year IRISNDT has chosen Ron Dearing UTC students to bolster its workforce, having taken on three apprentices and two trainee technicians, including Jack.

Emma Newton, General Manager at IRISNDT, said: “NDT is a really broad career and we’re delighted to partner with Ron Dearing UTC. It’s a fantastic school and the knowledge the students gain there is outstanding with lots of fantastic success stories as a result.

“The students arrive with a really good insight into the world of work, ready to hit the ground running, and they embrace every opportunity which comes their way. Jack has settled in really well.”

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 creative arts, digital technology, computing and engineering.

It has recently increased 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 STEAM Studios, the school’s new dedicated centre for creativity.

Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal – Employer Engagement at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “It’s wonderful to see all of our former sixth form students progressing so well.

“We do everything we can to arm them with the skills they need to succeed and thrive in industry, listening to our Employer Partners about what they need and want in their future workforces.

“Our unique employer-led approach to learning truly works and it’s fantastic to see so many of our students going on to work for our existing Employer Partners, which are some of the region’s leading businesses. We wish them all well for the future.”

The Principal of Hull’s Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) is calling for changes to the curriculum so all schools can offer subjects that help bridge skills gaps to benefit the economy and the drive to net zero.

Sarah Pashley says the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), which includes GCSEs in English Language and Literature, Maths, Science, a language and Geography or History, should be scrapped to give schools across the country the freedom to put technology and creativity at the heart of learning, alongside more traditional academic subjects.

UTCs are exempt from the EBacc and can offer their own curriculum, which, at Ron Dearing UTC, includes technical and creative qualifications.

Shadow Schools Minister Catherine McKinnell visited Ron Dearing UTC with Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy to meet students involved in its Eco Club, which is part of an extensive enrichment programme to broaden students’ horizons outside the classroom.

The students are working with Hull City Council to plant an area of Kingston Square, opposite the UTC in the city centre, with butterfly, bee and bat-friendly plants to increase biodiversity and pollination, drawing on their creative and scientific knowledge.

In addition, the shadow minister met students involved in the F1 in Schools Challenge, the world’s largest Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition, which inspires engineers of the future. The Ron Dearing F1 in Schools students are working alongside Major Partner Porsche Centre Hull to look at sustainability within the automotive industry.

 

She also heard from the team at Sewell Construction, another of the UTC’s Major Partners, as they told students about sustainable construction and how they retro-fitted the former Hull Central Fire Station to transform it into the recently-opened, low carbon STEAM Studios creative hub.

Sarah Pashley said: “The current emphasis on the EBacc is not meeting the needs of industry or society because it doesn’t include any arts subjects, with means these subjects are devalued. This is a great shame.

“Arts subjects are essential to developing creative thinking and cultural capital. They encourage self-expression while building confidence and a sense of individual identity.

“The EBacc also doesn’t include any technical or digital qualifications, which makes no sense. The Government has recognised there’s a big skills gap in STEM and they’ve tried to address this with their White Paper, which introduces more tech qualifications for 16 to 18-year-olds.

“However, their aspiration that 90% of Key Stage 4 students study the EBacc is killing the technical curriculum in Years 10 and 11.

“The great thing about being a UTC is we’re exempt from the EBacc curriculum and we’re free to choose qualifications that industry needs and which best meet the needs of our students.

“It’s becoming increasingly urgent that more students study technical and digital qualifications as we strive to achieve net zero targets and renewable industries desperately need people with skills to develop and install technology.

“At Ron Dearing UTC, we’re able to put sustainability, creativity, engineering and sciences at the heart of our curriculum and focus on teaching our students industry-critical skills.

“We were delighted to welcome Catherine to Ron Dearing UTC and our students were very interested to talk to her, while showcasing some fantastic sustainability projects they’ve been working on.”

 

Sarah Pashley said the school’s outstanding exam results, very high attendance and the exciting university courses and apprenticeships that students have gone onto after leaving the UTC all show that a non-EBacc curriculum works for young people, universities and employers. She said it raises standards of attainment and attendance – a major problem nationally since the Covid-19 pandemic.

She added: “A lot of young people become disengaged in their GCSE years because schools are being forced to drive significant numbers of pupils down the EBacc route. Many young people want to study humanities and languages in Key Stage 4 and should be able to do so. However, many others do not.

“Forcing them to do so demotivates them, impacts their exam results and attendance negatively and fails to address the STEM and creative skills gaps.

“The Government needs to give creative, digital and technical qualifications equality with traditional academic qualifications and ditch its obsession with the EBacc.”

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

The school has recently expanded its capacity from 600 to 800 students following funding from the Department for Education’s (DfE) Post-16 Capacity Fund. Hull’s former Hull Central Fire Station has been transformed into STEAM Studios, the school’s new dedicated centre for creativity.

Catherine McKinnell said: “It was fantastic to meet pupils and leaders at Ron Dearing UTC and to see the broad and rich curriculum that is being delivered. Unfortunately, too many young people leave education without the qualifications and pathways they need.

“Labour’s Curriculum and Assessment Review will focus on delivering high and rising standards in the basics of reading, writing and Maths, alongside enriching subjects like Art, Music, Sport and Drama.

“We need to ensure young people leave school with both knowledge and confidence with skills such as communication, critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork to set them up to succeed.”

 

Emma Hardy is behind a project to make Hull the country’s first Butterfly City by planting thousands of Alder Buckthorn trees to attract Brimstone butterflies and bees, as the decline in insects is having a major impact on pollination.

Working in partnership with Hull City Council, Ron Dearing UTC students planted lavender, buddleia, foxgloves, honeysuckles and spurges which will help to brighten the area while increasing biodiversity and enabling them to learn more about pollination and improving the environment.

Emma Hardy said: “I’m really impressed with the facilities Ron Dearing UTC have and their commitment to including the environment and biodiversity as part of their curriculum. This enables students to have pride and take ownership of their community and surroundings, which are important values to instil.

“I’m on a mission to increase biodiversity in Hull and to support people with taking care of their local environment. It’s therefore great to see schools encouraging children to do this from a young age.

“Ron Dearing UTC is a fantastic blueprint for other schools and organisations hoping to incorporate biodiversity and environment in their work and I will continue to support this in any way I can.”

The first Christmas arts and crafts market at STEAM Studios has been hailed a success.

Ron Dearing UTC’s Arts Council and staff welcomed members of the public to the new centre for creativity in Hull’s former Central Fire Station.

Local traders and makers sold everything from illustrations and Christmas decorations to jewellery and scarves, while Hull historian and author Dr Alec Gill MBE and poet and author Audrey Dunne signed and sold copies of their books.

Audrey said: “We had a lovely day and had some wonderful chats with people. We had a crowd around our table and we loved signing our books.

“Everyone enjoyed doing their Christmas shopping, including me, and it’s wonderful to see what has been done to the old fire station. I’m looking forward to more events like this in the future.”

 

Elodie Canon, nine, from South Cave, sold terrariums with plants in glass pots as unique Christmas gifts and was accompanied by her mum, Hannah Hoggart.

Elodie said: “I used different stones and alpine plants from my garden to make them. I enjoyed selling them and would like to do it again.”

Ron Dearing UTC Arts Council members Juliet Wilkes-Oliver and Kal Mears sold sweet treats and hot drinks as they welcomed visitors to STEAM Studios while other members made cards and decorations to sell, raising £250. They also raised £300 for the Hospice UK charity by selling bric-a-brac.

Year 12 student Kal, 16, said: “It was lovely to see so many people across the day supporting local craftspeople and some people took the opportunity to have a look around the building.”

Year 11 student Juliet, 15, said: “We’d like to organise more events like this and establish STEAM Studios as an events space too. We hope more students will also be able to sell their crafts in the future.”

 

Hull residents Tanyar and Simon Guzdek were among members of the public who attended the event.

Tanyar, who bought a print at the market, said: “We love fairs like this and it’s brilliant. We like to buy bespoke, one-off gifts as Christmas presents and this was the perfect opportunity to do that.”

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We’re so proud of the Arts Council students who have put so much into making this event a great success. They’ve also spent several evenings making items to sell.

“It was fantastic to welcome lots of visitors, including local residents, and the day went really well.”