Ron Dearing hosts inaugural Alumni Week

Written by

Ron Dearing UTC has hosted its inaugural Alumni Week to open students’ eyes to the vast array of opportunities waiting for them after school.

In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week 2025, the Hull school held its first ever Alumni Week, with over 60 alumni-led talks taking place.

Former students who now work with the school’s employer partners were invited back to speak to current Year 12 students about the different pathways and apprenticeships they have undertaken since leaving the UTC in industries including renewable energy, engineering, marketing and research and development to name just a few.

Alumni Week saw over 60 alumni-led talks taking place.

 

Students had the opportunity to ask questions to get further insight into the wide range of industries represented.

Businesses which took part in the week included some of the schools founding partners Spencer Group, Siemens Gamesa and Reckitt; major partners, Wood, Cranswick, Porsche Centre Hull, LSTC Group and BAE Systems; and partner, Northern Powergrid.

Local apprenticeship provider HETA (Humberside Engineering Training Association Ltd) also met students to talk about their apprenticeship opportunities.

As part of Apprenticeship Week, the school also welcomed alumni from major partner IRISNDT to meet Year 13 students to provide insights into the oil and gas industry. The alumni demonstrated how ultrasonic testing is used, as well as highlighting the importance of quality assurance in such a critical sector.

Some of our founding partners including Spencer Group, Siemens Gamesa and Reckitt took part in the week.

 

The week also featured employability skills workshops for Year 10 students from Cranswick and CATCH.

Senior Assistant Principal, Glenn Jenson, said: “A huge thankyou to all our employer partners and alumni for their continued support which is essential for driving our unique employer-led curriculum.

“It was fantastic to welcome our former students back into school and hear more about their achievements since leaving Ron Dearing.

“Having the opportunity to hear from young people who were in their position just a few years ago is both inspirational and motivational to our current students and helps to open their eyes to the vast range of opportunities that are available to them.”

Spencer Group expands M&E team with intake of apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC

Written by

Spencer Group is continuing to develop a pipeline of young talent through its ongoing partnership with Ron Dearing UTC, with the addition of four new apprentices.

The Hull-based engineering specialist, a Founding Partner of the employer-led school, welcomed the newest recruits who will be working in a variety of roles across the business.

Level 3 Electrical Apprentices, Mason Creighton and Johnny Reilly, join Spencer Group’s growing M&E team which plays a vital role in delivering the business’s cross-sector proficiencies, and enhances its in-house capabilities.

The new apprentices will learn from industry experts and will work across rail, bridges, build and civil, providing in-house services to each department, which places the Group in a strong position to meet client requirements.

Mason Creighton, 18, has joined Spencer Group as a Level 3 Electrical Apprentice.

 

Mason, 18, has joined the team after completing his studies in Triple Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC.

He said: “After seeing my dad working as a contractor on building sites, I knew I wanted to learn a trade as it would provide me with a stable career. I knew that an apprenticeship would be the best way for me to learn whilst starting to earn.

“I was attracted to join Spencer Group in particular because of the wide variety of interesting projects they are involved with and the opportunity to gain further qualifications in future.

“My goal for the future is to work my way up into a managerial position. I feel confident I will be able to achieve that at Spencer Group, I’ve already spoken to so many people in management roles here who started out as an apprentice just like me, so that is really inspiring.”

Spencer Group has also taken on two new Engineering Apprentices, Michael Ward and Dylan McCallion, who are completing their Level 4 HNC Civil Engineer and Technician qualifications.

Dylan McCallion, 18, has joined the business as an Engineering Apprentice and is completing his Level 4 HNC Civil Engineer and Technician qualification.

 

Dylan, 18, has joined the team after completing an Engineering Diploma at Ron Dearing UTC.

He said: “I learn much better through hands-on, practical experiences rather than sitting in a classroom, so I knew I wanted to do an apprenticeship.

“I was really impressed by the different projects Spencer Group does, as well as the fact they work all over the UK. I like to travel so I’m looking forward to being able to see new places.

“During my apprenticeship I’ll be rotating around all the departments which I think will help me learn a wide variety of skills as well as helping me decide what area I’d like to specialise in.”

The new Electrical Apprentices will join the M&E team, following in the footsteps of Operations Director Dan Whittle, who started at the business as an apprentice himself.

Operations Director Dan Whittle, begun his career as an apprentice and welcomed the newest recruits to the business.

 

Dan began his time at Spencer Group in 2006 as an Apprentice Electrician and after completing HNC and HND courses worked his way up to becoming a Site Engineer.

He went on to complete Undergraduate and Masters Degrees and progressed through the roles of Project Engineer, Project Manager and Project Director.

Dan said: “Throughout my career the team at Spencer Group has supported me to move outside of my comfort zone, which has pushed me to develop and grow.

“I’ve also been provided with great career progression opportunities. I’ve been allowed to grow within the business, gaining experience from undertaking challenging projects and this has been made possible by having a strong support network.

“Having started my career in the same position almost 20 years ago, I know how beneficial an apprenticeship is and I’m excited to see what they achieve in the coming years.”

As a Founding Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, Spencer Group works closely with students from year 10 onwards with attendance at open events and career expos. The business also provides ongoing support including work experience, interview skills training, mock interview practice, and professional behaviours and employability skills training.

The newest apprentices join over fifty former Ron Dearing UTC students who have taken up full time positions in Engineering, Commercial, Project Management, Design, Marketing, Planning, IT Services and Computer Programming roles.

Yvonne Moir, HR Director at Spencer Group, said: “We’re delighted to welcome four new apprentices into the business this year, as part of our ongoing partnership with education provider Ron Dearing UTC.

“The college continues to provide us with a talent stream of young people, who fit our specific requirements.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the new apprentices hit the ground running, following the education and employability skills instilled in them from the moment they joined Ron Dearing.”

Former Ron Dearing UTC students are in safe hands with apprenticeships at Arco

Written by

Four former Ron Dearing UTC students have hit the ground running in digital apprenticeship roles at the UK’s leading safety company.

Arco, one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Major Partners, has recently moved to a state-of-the-art new office in the thriving Fruit Market waterfront area of Hull and is expanding its digital capabilities as the business continues to grow.

Chloe Marshall is working in the Project Management Office (PMO), Ben Maycock and Kai Ingram have taken on digital engineering roles and James Swinbourne has joined Arco’s cyber security team.

From left, apprentices James Swinburne, Chloe Marshall, Ben Maycock and Kai Ingram, with Neil Cavill, Head of Business Improvement at Arco, centre. Picture: Hull News and Pictures. 

 

Apprentice Software Developer Chloe said: “I’ve settled into Arco really well and everyone is so supportive and welcoming. I’ve already learnt so much and I’m glad I’ve joined the company.

The apprentices, all aged 18, will receive guidance from an Arco business mentor as well as first-hand support from former Ron Dearing UTC students who are already working in the business.

The support structure will provide a strong foundation as the apprentices complete Arco’s two-year “Future Experts” programme.

First launched in 2016, the programme has now seen almost 40 apprentices taken on to develop the next generation of talent, cementing Arco’s commitment to the city and its significant investment plan to support the growth of its business.

Neil Cavill, Head of Business Improvement at Arco and a Governor at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “We’re delighted that Chloe, Ben, Kai and James have joined us and chosen Arco to start their careers.

“It’s clear that the skills and experience they’ve gained at Ron Dearing will stand them in good stead as they begin working life with us. We’re looking forward to seeing them grow and develop over the coming years.”