Home Manufacturing & Industry Dozens of Ron Dearing UTC students take up apprenticeships with leading employers

Dozens of Ron Dearing UTC students take up apprenticeships with leading employers

Fourteen former Ron Dearing UTC students have joined engineering business Spencer Group, which is based at Humber Quays on Hull Marina.

Dozens of students from Hull’s employer-led school, Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC), have taken up apprenticeships with many of the region’s leading companies.

More than 45 students who recently completed their A-level exams and technical qualifications have secured sought-after training roles with the school’s employer partners and other prominent local businesses.

Their move from school to the world of work delivers on Ron Dearing UTC’s vision to create work-ready young people with the advanced digital and engineering skills so needed by leading businesses across the region.

The percentage of the school’s students who have become apprentices is also many times higher than the national average of young people from schools and colleges progressing to apprenticeships.


Four Ron Dearing UTC Founding Partners have taken on students from the school as apprentices, including three at RB, the world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company, currently investing £105m in a new global Science and Innovation Centre in Hull, and one at Siemens Gamesa, which has world-class wind turbine manufacturing, assembly and logistics operations in Hull.

Two apprentices have started work at Smith + Nephew, the global medical technology business with major manufacturing and research and development facilities in Hull, while no less than 14 apprentices have been taken on by Spencer Group, one of the UK’s largest independently owned engineering firms, which has its headquarters in Hull.

Ron Dearing UTC Major Partner Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, has recruited two apprentices for its Hull-based business.

Ron Dearing UTC Principal Sarah Pashley said: “We’re delighted to see so many of our students who have left the school at 18 have moved directly into exciting apprenticeships roles or full employment with leading companies, including our employer partners.

“To set this in context, over 50% of our Year 13 students are taking up an apprenticeship, compared to only 6% nationally last year. It’s also great to be able to report that all our students who opted to continue their studies at university have got places.

“The fact that so many prestigious employers have hired our students is a huge vote of confidence in the school, our unique educational model and our talented students. Our first school leavers are now taking their first steps in the world of work and can look forward to a bright future.”

The school in Hull city centre caters for students aged between 14 and 19 from Hull and the East Riding and has 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.

Charlie Spencer OBE, Ron Dearing UTC’s Chair of Governors and Executive Chairman of Spencer Group, said: “So many students moving into superb training roles with successful local companies says everything about the talent that the school develops, with the support of the employer partners.

“At Spencer Group we’ve hired our biggest ever intake of trainees, all from Ron Dearing UTC, and we’re excited about the contribution they will make to our business.”

Picture credit: Karl Andre Photography