Ron Dearing UTC computer science students are learning more about cyber security through an employer-led project and IT equipment donation from the UK’s leading safety company.

Following an upgrade of systems across its network of safety stores, Arco, a Major Partner of the school, is donating several of its firewall units and a number of network switches to allow the students to learn using real-world technology.

In addition, two former Ron Dearing UTC students, Josh Thorpe, now Cyber Security Analyst at Arco, and James Swinburne, Apprentice Cyber Security Analyst at Arco, will deliver presentations and mentor students as part of the project.

Richard Martin, Arco Non-Executive Director and Chair of Governors at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “As one of the college’s employer partners, Arco is proud to be working with Ron Dearing on this exciting project, which will be the first of many of its type, to inspire the next generation of cyber security experts.

 

“At Arco, we specialise in health and safety and many lessons carry over well to cyber security, such as the need for appropriate protection, training and compliance.

“By providing a hands-on learning experience, we aim to nurture the students’ understanding of cyber security and develop the skills required to help promote cyber security as a potential career.”

Mike Hudson, Cyber Security Manager at Arco, said: “Arco has an excellent relationship with the students and staff at Ron Dearing UTC and this project will strengthen that partnership even further.

“It’s exciting that we can involve Josh and James, as former students of Ron Dearing UTC, in this project and help demonstrate clearly how their education at Ron Dearing has supported them in starting and developing their careers at Arco.”

 

Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal – Employer Engagement at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “This is an amazing project led by our very own alumni at Arco.

“The project will enable our computer science students to apply their skills to a real-world cyber security scenario with the guidance of industry professionals. This is another excellent example of world class employer-led learning.”

A year 10 student at Ron Dearing UTC is starring in a festive show at Hull Truck Theatre as he prepares for further acting roles.

James Caley, 14, is playing the part of Peter Cratchit and taking on other ensemble roles in A Christmas Carol, an adaptation of Charles’ Dickens’ classic Christmas ghost story.

He began acting at the age of 10, attending Stagecoach Performing Arts in Beverley for three years before joining the Hull Truck’s Youth Theatre group a year ago.

James has previously played the part of Mr Wormwood in the stage show of Roald Dahl’s Matilda at St Mary’s College in Hull and is now preparing for roles in The SpongeBob Musical at the Northern Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Hull and Something Rotten at a venue to be confirmed next year.

James, who achieved a Distinction in grade six acting and a Merit in grade four singing, said: “I’m really enjoying it and I love the atmosphere and performing.

 

“I’d like to move into the television and movie side of acting but I’d also like a career in engineering, so I’m concentrating on my studies too.

“Ron Dearing UTC staff have been really supportive and they’re happy I’m doing this. Now I’ve done some professional work at Hull Truck Theatre I’m going to have some headshot pictures taken and see where it takes me.”

James recently took a brief break from treading the boards in A Christmas Carol to watch the show with more than 360 Year 10 and 11 students from Ron Dearing UTC.

They attended as part of their GCSE English Literature course, which helped them to understand the text and see the characters come to life.

James said: “It was great to watch it with my school friends. It also enabled me to see how the performance has progressed and see how good it looks from an audience perspective.”

 

Presented by Hull Truck Theatre in association with Leeds Playhouse, the show runs until December 31 and has delighted audiences since it opened on November 25.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We’re really proud of James for pursuing his love of acting alongside his studies.

“We encourage our students to participate in various activities and experiences outside the classroom and broaden their horizons as much as possible. We wish James every success with his forthcoming roles.”

For more information and to book tickets for A Christmas Carol visit https://www.hulltruck.co.uk/whats-on/christmas/a-christmas-carol/

Students at Ron Dearing UTC have launched a podcast focused on a range of topics throughout the school year.

Radio Ron, which is led by 20 Year 10, 11 and 12 students and supported by artist and West Hull FM Drive Time radio presenter Andy Pea, follows a fast-moving format with an array of content created by the students.

They have taken up various roles, including editing, producing, interviewing, writing, recording and presenting, as well as learning how to edit segments for each podcast episode.

The first episode will include an interview with singer songwriter Brandon Hunt, who featured on ITV’s Starstruck show, a section on gaming and the best games to buy for Christmas, book reviews and a look at the UTC’s enrichment activities.

It will also feature a survey of the top 10 Christmas films and songs chosen by students, an interview with Major Partner Ørsted on green energy and sustainability and a UTC teacher interview.

 

Radio Ron will be aired on West Hull FM and will be available to download via the Ron Dearing UTC website in the coming weeks, with a new podcast planned every term.

Chris Berry, Assistant Principal – Cultural Capital at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “Radio Ron is a fantastic creative outlet for our students and much of it ties in nicely with what they’re learning in school.

“There’s a great mix of technology, creative digital and English, as well as confidence building, communication skills and teamwork, which are brilliant skills and positives to include in their CVs.

“We want to build a team of students who can then teach others and we can continue to increase the number of students involved.”

Radio Ron is part of Ron Dearing UTC’s Horizons Cultural Capital programme which  promotes culture and creativity and broadening students’ horizons beyond the classroom.

Other podcast topics throughout the year will include revision tips and support during exams, pointers on how to prepare for interviews, a guide for new students joining the school and other relevant subjects to support students at each stage of their UTC journey.

 

Three former Ron Dearing UTC students who are now employed by Founding Partner Reckitt will also be interviewed about their careers and offer advice on following in their footsteps, as well as a look back at their time at the school.

Year 12 student Imogen Connolly, 17, who is studying Double Engineering and Maths at Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form, is an interviewer and producer on the Radio Ron podcast team.

She said: “I’m interviewing staff and students about the UTC’s enrichment activities and I’m involved in the top 10 Christmas songs, films and books.

“The podcast is led by the students and will hopefully help people understand what’s happening at school.

“I’m learning how to speak in front of a wide range of audiences and being involved in the podcast will help me understand how to prepare for an interview because the skills are transferable.

“I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to recording more episodes.”

Further details of how to listen to Radio Ron will be released in the coming weeks.

A Year 11 student from Ron Dearing UTC has been named Hull’s Young Mayor.

Amaya Newman, 15, has been selected as the fourth Young Mayor to represent young people across the city over the next 12 months.

She will work with Hull City Council’s Voice and Influence Team, other young people and decision makers to promote the interests of the younger generation in Hull.

Amaya was appointed following a selection day attended by 16 candidates who also voted for the winner. They were all tasked with completing a team challenge and delivered a speech on why they want to be Young Mayor and the difference they hope to make before the votes took place.

Amaya, who attended a Christmas Card Parade in north Hull this week as part of her first Young Mayor duties, said: “I feel privileged to be named Hull Young Mayor and I’m so pleased I’ve been chosen. Young people don’t have enough of a voice and it’s important for us to be heard.

 

“I’ve always had an interest in politics too and it’s very much based around adults making decisions. I’d like to be Prime Minister one day and being Young Mayor is a great opportunity, challenge and a starting point for me.

“A career in politics is sometimes frowned upon but I think fresh opinions are needed. I’m excited about making a difference and connecting young people to decision makers.

“Past Young Mayors have run campaigns and I’d like to do the same. I’m passionate about improving transport for young people, raising awareness of the effects vaping has on your health and looking at the importance of mental health among young people.”

Amaya will be supported by Deputy Young Mayor Germaine Omar, a pupil at Kelvin Hall School in Hull, who has been appointed to the newly created position for the next year.

Amaya said the support she has received from Ron Dearing UTC staff helped her to secure her Young Mayor role.

She said: “I’m really proud to be a Ron Dearing UTC student and my confidence has grown so much.

“I wouldn’t be doing this without the support of the staff because I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do it. I want to make everyone proud.”

 

The young people who attended the selection day will be invited to join Amaya and Germaine as they work with Hull Young People’s Parliament to reach more young people in the community.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We’re incredibly proud of Amaya for being appointed to this role. It’s a wonderful opportunity and will hopefully help to inspire other young people.

“We actively encourage our students to embrace opportunities and experiences alongside their studies to broaden their horizons and this is a perfect example of that.

“This role will undoubtedly support Amaya to further develop her confidence, leadership and communication skills, which are all invaluable. It will also enable her to give back to the local community – something she is passionate about.

“We wish Amaya every success and know she will do a fantastic job.”

Councillor Linda Tock, Hull City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, said: “Each young person’s speech was full of hope and insight for young people’s futures in Hull.

“I’ve been inspired by the ability of our young people to communicate and articulate their passions. Once again, it’s good to see young people involved in politics and helping to make the city a better place for all young people.

“Congratulations to Amaya and to Germaine as our first Deputy Young Mayor.”

Four students from Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) are excelling in their sporting fields, including two representing their country on the world stage.

Year 12 students Zach Hood, Jack Shepherd and Ellie Grayson-White, all 16, and Year 11 student Brad Taylor, also 16, spend much of their spare time competing at the highest possible level in their relevant age categories, setting their sights on sporting success alongside their studies.

Zach is part of the Great Britain Pentathlon Squad for his level of ability in the sport, which includes running, target shooting, swimming, fencing and show jumping. He began competing when he was just seven-years-old, following in his older brother’s footsteps, and is now competing internationally.

Zach finished 15^th in the European Championships under 17s category in Poland in June and 32^nd in the world in his age group in a further international competition. He also competed in the World Championships in Italy in September, finishing 4^th in the relay section alongside a teammate.

 

Zach, who hopes to become an engineer in the future while continuing sport in his spare time, said: “I’m competitive and I like trying to beat what my brother achieved. I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved so far and the World Championships is the highest level competition I can enter at the moment, so I’m very happy with that result.

“Ron Dearing UTC has been so supportive and the staff are really interested in what I’m doing.”

Jack, who is studying Double Engineering and Maths at Ron Dearing UTC’s sixth form, will represent England at the International Ski Federation World School Championships in Turkey in February.

He took up the sport when he was nine-years old-and was later accepted into the English Schools Ski Association Senior Squad, representing England in his age category and training in Norway.

 

Jack was placed in the world’s top 15 for his age group in the alpine English Championships in Italy in 2021 and returned to England for the dry ski slope season, finishing first overall for the season in his age category.

Jack, who also represents Wales in his age group, finished third in the 2021 Welsh Championships, third in the British Championships and secured other podium places.

This year, he podiumed 10 times out of the 14 dry slope races he competed in, winning the under 18 Welsh Championships and finishing third in the under 18s British Championships. He was also awarded the 2021 Bridlington Sports and Community Award for Young Sportsperson of the Year.

Jack said: “I’m really proud. My dream is to take dry slope skiing as far as I can while studying, but I’d like a career in engineering. Everyone at Ron Dearing is really pleased for me. I don’t compete in major tournaments or competitions during the school term, as I don’t want it to affect my studies.”

 

Ellie, who took up figure skating five years ago, began synchro skating in 2019 and competes as part of the Hull Synchronised Skating Team, Northern Starlets, training weekly in Hull and Grimsby.

The team recently competed in the Skate London Synchronised Skating Competition Open at Alexandra Palace in the capital, finishing second out of four teams. They will now go on to compete in Scotland later this month, which will see them progress to the world level of the contest if they are successful.

International competitions will also take place in Nottingham and Sheffield in January and February.

Ellie said: “I’d like to become a marine biologist in the future but be a professional skater in my spare time. I love being part of the team and everyone at school is really happy for me. I’m looking forward to Scotland.”

 

Brad is a trampolinist at Aspire Gymnastics Club in east Hull. He will represent Ron Dearing UTC and his club at the Yorkshire Regional Trampoline Competition in Bradford this weekend, with the chance to compete in Northern Ireland if he places first, second or third.

Brad said: “I’d like to join the Royal Air Force as a pilot in the future and trampolining could be connected to my aspiration to fly.

“The staff at Ron Dearing encourage me in my sport and training. They’ve boosted my confidence enough to make me want to do the competition. I’m really grateful for the support I’ve had and I’m proud to represent my school.”

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We’re incredibly proud of Zach, Jack, Ellie and Brad and it’s amazing to have such elite athletes in our Ron Dearing UTC community.

 

“While sport is not the main focus at our school, it is a major part of our extensive enrichment programme and it’s fantastic to see young people who are so passionate about their sport, excelling in their chosen fields.

“Perseverance, determination, high standards and the pursuit of excellence are really important employability skills and participation in these sports is teaching our students skills for life.”

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.

 

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.

 

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.”

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.

 

“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.

 

“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.”

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.

 

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.

 

“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.”

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.

 

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.

 

“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.”

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.”

 

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.”