Two former students from Ron Dearing UTC are forging ahead in digital apprenticeship roles at the UK’s leading safety company.

Hull-based Arco, one of the employer-led school’s Major Partners, has recruited Josh Thorpe as a Cyber Security Apprentice and Jay Richards as a Systems Developer Apprentice.

Josh, 18, who achieved a Distinction* and Distinction in his Computing technical qualifications at Ron Dearing UTC, as well as a Merit in Creative Digital, said the school had prepared him for his new role helping to keep Arco’s digital systems secure.

He said: “I hope to learn how big businesses defend themselves against security threats and what methods can be used to keep track of everything to make sure it’s secure.

“Ron Dearing UTC has prepared me for this because it’s more practical-based learning. Everything you learn is relevant to the workplace.”

Jay, also 18, who achieved three Distinctions in Computing, said he was already working on a digital programme to boost Arco’s efficiency.

He said: “I’m making a programme which can help some of the team leaders add information into a spreadsheet automatically, without having to do it by hand.

“Ron Dearing UTC helped me to put what I know into practice and adapt that for Arco. I’m really looking forward to the future at Arco and seeing where it takes me.”

Apprentices Josh Thorpe, left, and Jay Richards with Arco Head of IT Dan Spurgeon, second left, and Digital Director Richard Martin.

 

Dan Spurgeon, Head of IT at Arco, said: “During Josh’s second day here, he attended meetings with us about e-mail phishing, adding his own fresh ideas. I don’t think we would have got that from someone who had years of industry moulding.

“We’re always keen to fit people into our culture and both Josh and Jay have been on our ‘Arco Experience’, which has helped them understand how the business was founded and has grown and how we work as a collective. They’re both integrating really well.”

Richard Martin, Digital Director at Arco, who is also a Governor at Ron Dearing UTC, said Ron Dearing UTC provided a different approach to learning, preparing students to fit into the world of work rapidly.

He said: “It’s a completely unique way of schooling which fills a gap that has been missing in education for a long time. The hope is those who come to us as apprentices have spent so much time with us already that they hit the ground running.

“They come with bags of enthusiasm and they’re ready to crack on. They are treated as adults at school, rather than children, and as a result we’re getting people with an adult attitude.”

Ron Dearing UTC is inviting students who want to join the school in Year 10 or Year 12 in September 2020 to attend the next Open Event on Thursday, November 7. Attendees will be able to have a look around the school, meet current and former students, speak to staff and take part in various workshops.

To register for the event, which runs from 6pm to 8pm, or to apply to join the school, click here.

Studying at Ron Dearing UTC has enabled Hannah Crossley and Sam Graham to begin their working careers as Engineering Apprentices with Smith + Nephew.

Hannah and Sam, who are both 18, have joined the global medical technology business as Apprentice Manufacturing Technicians.

Smith & Nephew, a Founding Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has major manufacturing and research and development facilities in Hull, and Hannah and Sam are beginning their careers with the company as Ron Dearing UTC is encouraging prospective students and their parents to attend the school’s next Open Event on Thursday, November 7.

Hannah Crossley has joined Smith + Nephew from Ron Dearing UTC, where she achieved a Distinction in Engineering.

 

Hannah, who achieved a Distinction in Engineering at Hull’s employer-led school, said: “Ron Dearing UTC has prepared me really well for this.

“By working for Smith + Nephew, I can join a team which will make a huge difference in the world because of the products they make. To have the opportunity to be part of that is breathtaking.”

Sam Graham said the employer-led approach to learning at Ron Dearing UTC had helped him to secure an apprenticeship with Smith + Nephew.

 

Sam, who achieved two Merits in Engineering and a further Merit in Digital Technology at Ron Dearing UTC, said the approach to learning at the school had pushed him to aim high.

He said: “At Ron Dearing everyone is on first name terms and the staff treat you like adults, which has helped me to become more confident and I know I have made the right decision to go down the apprenticeship route. I’m so excited and it’s a privilege to work for a big company such as Smith & Nephew.”

Gary Carr, Smith + Nephew Production Manager, said: “Hannah and Sam have grown in confidence already and will fit in really well with us.

“They have shown they have the right attitude and approach, as well as a level of determination you don’t usually see in young adults.

“They are evidence that the unique partnership between employers and educators at Ron Dearing UTC really does give students the edge in terms of their employability and specialist skills.  I’m impressed.”

• Ron Dearing UTC’s next Open Event will run from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday, November 7. To register for the event, or to apply to join Ron Dearing UTC in Year 10 and Year 12 in September 2020, click here.

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Hundreds of prospective students and their parents attended the first Ron Dearing UTC Open Event of the new academic year, highlighting the huge demand for places.

Ron Dearing UTC offers its unique education model to 14 to 19-year-olds, working in partnership with some of Hull’s leading businesses to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to give them the edge as they make their way into the world of work.

More than 500 students and their parents attended the Open Event to find out about joining the school in Year 10 or Year 12 in September 2020.

Ron Dearing UTC opened its doors in September 2017 and the first three years have all been oversubscribed. Just 300 places are currently available for September 2020 and more than 60 applications were received for Year 10 places ahead of the Open Event.

Students use virtual reality (VR) equipment to practice welding skills. It gives students a taste of what welding could be like as a career.

 

Attendees had chance to have a look around the school and get involved in workshops and demonstrations, largely focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) subjects.

They also met staff, current and former students, the employer partners and student ambassadors from Lead Academic Partner the University of Hull, as well as hearing from Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley, Vice Principal Steve Willacy and Yvonne Moir, Human Resources Director at engineering business Spencer Group, one of the school’s Founding Partners.

Sarah highlighted Ron Dearing UTC’s unique educational model and vision, showed images of the school’s first leavers who have just begun apprenticeships with leading local companies, and shared the outstanding GCSE, A-level and technical qualification results achieved in the school’s first public exams this summer.

She said: “The turnout has been brilliant and we’ve had lots of great feedback.

“Hopefully both the students and parents have gone away with a clear understanding of what Ron Dearing UTC offers and excited by our employer-engaged model of learning. It’s great to now have the results to prove it works.

“It is important the prospective students and their parents know and understand how close the partnership is between our school, the University of Hull and our employer partners. It’s a real team approach.”

Year 10 students, pictured from left – Ashburner Davison, 15, Abigail Dearing, 14, and Jessica Harkins, 14, gave physics demonstrations to prospective students and their parents at the Open Event.

 

Yvonne Moir, who is also a Ron Dearing UTC Governor, said Spencer Group initially intended to take six apprentices from the school this year but instead recruited 14.

She said: “The apprentices’ level of skill and knowledge is fantastic, so they have come into the workplace and fitted straight in. We don’t take apprentices from anywhere else now.

“The UTC is a brilliant opportunity to keep really gifted and skilled young people in Hull. This school is our talent stream for the future.”

Engineering Manufacture teacher Clive Isaacs, pictured left, with Year 12 student Luke Raine-Ellerker, 16. Luke’s brother, Charlie, 13, attended the Open Event with parents Simon and Michelle Raine-Ellerker, from west Hull.

 

Simon and Michelle Raine-Ellerker, from west Hull, took their son, Charlie, 13, to the Open Event as he hopes to join Year 10 in September 2020. The couple’s other son, Luke, 16, is already a student at Ron Dearing UTC’s Sixth Form after choosing to stay on after completing Year 11.

Mrs Raine-Ellerker said: “At Ron Dearing UTC the support, learning and mentoring the students get is brilliant and the staff are fantastic.”

Dylan Yeaman, 13, from east Hull, would like to join Year 10 at Ron Dearing UTC next year and attended the Open Event with his mother, Lisa.

He said: “I really like science and this school focuses on that. Looking around tonight, I have never seen anything like this in a school before. There are lots of opportunities.”

Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners are the University of Hull and leading local employers KCOM, RB, Siemens Gamesa, Smith + Nephew and Spencer Group. The school is also supported by Hull City Council and many other industry partners, including Major Partners APD Communications, Arco, BP, C4DI, Green Port Hull, Ideal Boilers, Fujitsu, Ørsted, Sewell Group and Sonoco Trident.

Students interested in places at Ron Dearing UTC in Year 10 and Year 12 from September 2020 can attend further Open Events on November 7 or January 16. To register to attend, or to download online application forms, click here.

The science behind superhero powers was brought to life for Year 10 students at Ron Dearing University UTC as the first lecture of a packed personal development programme got underway.

Professor Mark Lorch from the University of Hull kick-started the programme of lectures, visits and other activities, starting with The Secret Science of Superheroes for the whole year group of 160 students.

As part of the strong links Ron Dearing UTC has with the university as a Founding Partner, Prof Lorch explained the underpinning science and equations needed for superheroes to draw on their superpowers, such as what Spiderman eats or needs to generate the strength of his spider silk when swinging between buildings and rescuing someone from a fall.

The interactive session saw Prof Lorch carry out practical demonstrations to back up scientific facts and students were asked to volunteer to take part and ask questions, testing their knowledge and understanding.

The session was the first in a series of ten to be led by the University of Hull for Year 10, Year 11 and Sixth Form students, with a specific focus on stretching the most able students in the school.

The programme includes a visit to the University of Hull campus for those aspiring to go on to study for a degree; a Year 11 student and parent session looking at university finances; a robotics workshop; and lectures on medical engineering, mechanical engineering and flood prediction. Personal development sessions are also being planned by the school’s employer partners.

Chris Berry, Lead Practitioner with responsibility for Highly Able students at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “We want to offer our students personal development activities which will maximise the huge opportunities afforded by partnership with the University of Hull and our employer partners which aren’t available in other schools and colleges.  It’s vital that we really challenge our students to think out of the box and become creative thinkers and problem-solvers to give them the edge in the competitive jobs market and university application process.”

“The Secret Science of Superheroes looked at what can and can’t be explained by science in superhero movies and helped students to see the creative and imaginative side of science.”

Professor Lorch, a chemist, science communicator and author, said he was delighted by the response from the students.

He said: “Superheroes make for a nice hook to explore various aspects of science and the students were really interested. They showed they have inquisitive and problem-solving minds.”

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Former Ron Dearing UTC student Kieran Scruton will be playing his part in generating green energy to help save the planet after taking up an engineering apprenticeship at Siemens Gamesa.

Kieran, 18, joined the global wind power leader in early September as one of the newest members of the company’s 1,000-strong workforce at Alexandra Dock in Hull.

Siemens Gamesa is one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners and has world-class wind turbine manufacturing, assembly and logistics operations at the huge waterfront site.

Kieran’s is beginning his career journey at Siemens Gamesa as Ron Dearing UTC is urging new students and their parents to attend the employer-led school’s first Open Event of the new school next Wednesday.

Those who attend attendees will be able to look around the school, take part in workshops, meet teaching staff, speak to current and former students, and hear from Principal Sarah Pashley and representatives of the employer partners.

Engineering Apprentice Kieran Scruton, right, with Engineering Manager Ben Brooke at Siemens Gamesa’s wind turbine blade factory in Hull.

 

Kieran, who achieved a Merit in Engineering and a Distinction and Merit in Digital Media in his technical qualifications at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “Siemens Gamesa is one of the best companies to work for in terms of where renewable energy is going and there are so many opportunities.

“Siemens Gamesa’s work to help the environment is exactly what companies should be doing and that’s what made it stand out for me.

“Ron Dearing UTC was the best school for me because the learning style is different and the technology and equipment is really good.

“The staff help you to find an apprenticeship and they won’t rest until you’ve got a training place. I would like a long-lasting career with Siemens Gamesa and build on my engineering skills.”

Ben Brooke, Engineering Manager at Siemens Gamesa in Hull, said Ron Dearing UTC was the ideal educational environment to prepare the company’s future employees for the world of work.

He said: “Ron Dearing UTC is filling skills gaps in this area and helping industries like ours to get the right people with the right skills, without having to look further afield.

“It gives young people a good baseline of knowledge, so they don’t need as much moulding, and the style of learning stands them in good stead to be more self-sufficient.”

• Applications are being invited to join Ron Dearing UTC in Year 10 and Year 12 in September 2020. The first Open Event will run from 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday, October 2. For further information, or to book a place, click here.

Pictures: Sean Spencer, Hull News & Pictures.

Students and their parents are being urged to attend the first Open Event of the new school year at Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) and find out how its unique education model can shape their futures.

The employer-led school aims to prepare young people aged 14 to 19 for the world of work with a curriculum created in partnership with some of Hull’s leading businesses to develop the work-ready and highly-skilled young recruits industry is crying out for.

Now, prospective students and their parents are being invited to attend the first Open Event for learners considering joining the school in September 2020.

The Open Event will take place on Wednesday, October 2, from 6pm to 8pm. It will give attendees the chance to look around the school, take part in workshops, meet teaching staff, speak to current and former students, and hear from Principal Sarah Pashley and representatives of the employer partners.

Sarah said: “This is the perfect opportunity for students and their parents to find out what Ron Dearing UTC is all about.

“There is no other school like this in the region, with fantastic partnerships with leading employers and a curriculum designed with them to give our students the edge in the competition for sought-after training roles and university places.

“These Open Events have been very popular in previous years and places are limited for next year, so we’re urging people to book to attend without delay.”

Prospective students and their parents can meet current students, talk to staff and take a tour of the school at the first open event of the new school year.

 

The first Open Event comes as the school celebrates the success of its work to support students to secure apprenticeships with many of the region’s leading companies. More than 45 Year 13 students have secured training roles with the school’s employer partners, as well as other prominent local businesses, setting themselves up for fulfilling and rewarding careers.

The school has also delivered an outstanding set of results in the first public exams since the school opened two years ago.

Ron Dearing UTC’s recent A-level results saw the school achieve a 100% pass rate, with 25% of all grades being A or A* and 70% of grades A*-C.  The results for technical qualifications, including Engineering, Computing and Creative iMedia, were also outstanding, with the average grade being a Distinction, the equivalent to grade B at A-level.

The school’s first GCSE results were also excellent, with 70% of students scoring grades 4-9 in both English and Maths and almost half achieving a Distinction or Distinction* in Engineering in a technical qualification equivalent to a GCSE.

Ron Dearing UTC offers a unique business-driven education model with a specialist focus on digital technology, creative digital and digital engineering. The school’s Founding Partners are the University of Hull and leading local employers KCOM, RB, Siemens Gamesa, Smith + Nephew and Spencer Group.

The school is also supported by Hull City Council and many other industry partners, including Major Partners APD Communications, Arco, BP, C4DI, Green Port Hull, Ideal Boilers, Fujitsu, Ørsted, Sewell Group and Sonoco Trident.

Applications are now open to join Ron Dearing UTC in Year 10 and Year 12 next September, with the October 2 event the first of three open evenings. For more information click here.

Three former Ron Dearing UTC students are relishing the exciting opportunity to begin their careers with global giant RB in Hull.

RB, a Founding Partner of the employer-led school, is the world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company and is investing £105m in a new global Science and Innovation Centre in Hull.

RB’s newest recruits in Hull include Jon Garner, Harrison Fowler and James Bailey, all 18, who have taken up apprenticeships in IT, Quality Control and Engineering respectively.

Pictured at RB’s site in Hull are, from left, Quality Control Apprentice Harrison Fowler, Asset Care Manager Rob Green, IT Manager Marc Kirk,  and IT Apprentice Jon Garner.

 

The trio’s success is securing training roles with such a prestigious company shows how Ron Dearing UTC gives students the edge in the competition for opportunities with the best local employers.

Jon, who achieved a Distinction* and a Distinction in Engineering as well as a Merit in IT at Ron Dearing UTC, said he hopes to be able to travel to London and Hyderabad in India – RB’s IT global hub – with his colleagues as he continues to expand his knowledge and skills.

Jon said: “I completed my work experience at RB in Hull last year and now I’m working with them, as part of the team.

“A lot of the projects we completed at Ron Dearing UTC were selected by the employer partners, so we knew we were learning things which were relevant and could give us the edge over other applicants for the apprenticeships.”

Harrison who achieved a double Distinction* in Engineering and a grade C in A-level Chemistry, said: “Ron Dearing UTC staff really helped me with the application process and set aside days for interview and presentation preparation to give me confidence.

“I can’t thank RB enough for this opportunity. RB is enabling me to carry on with my education at college while working, so this is the ideal situation for me.

“I want to make my way in the world and the opportunities with RB are limitless.”

Apprentices Harrison Fowler, left, and Jon Garner have been hired for sought-after apprenticeships with global health and hygiene company RB.

 

Marc Kirk, IT Manager at RB, said: “Ron Dearing UTC builds strong relationships and foundations with organisations such as ours, which means skills associated with a working environment are taught at a young age.

“There are very promising signs from our apprentices so far. We have a real opportunity to shape these young people to live and breathe RB.”

Rob Green, Asset Care Manager at RB, added: “We believe we achieve better staff retention through our apprenticeship routes. They appreciate how we work and grow up with the RB team.”

• Applications are being invited to join Ron Dearing UTC in Year 10 and Year 12 in September 2020 with the first Open Event on Wednesday, October 2. For further information click here.