Black Country UTC Welcomes First Students

On Monday 28th March, the first intake of students for the new Black Country University Technical College (UTC) attended Walsall College’s Wisemore Campus with their families for an induction evening.

The event gave the first group of students the opportunity to meet their future classmates, take part in team activities and learn about the latest Black Country UTC developments. Further induction evenings are set to take place from now until the opening of the school in September 2011.

During the induction evening, attendees were able to find out more about the Black Country UTC, with presentations from Amarjit Basi, Principal and Chief Executive of Walsall College and Chris Hilton, Principal Designate of the Black Country UTC. Students attending on the night had the opportunity to shape the way their uniforms will look by voting on their favourite colours and styles during a live fashion show, with models wearing the proposed designs.

Students also took part in a group activity, where they had to work together to build a structure meeting set specifications. The winning group were then presented with iTunes vouchers for their hard work.

The Black Country University Technical College (UTC) is one of the first of a new breed of schools across the country, offering Year 10 and Sixth Form pupils the opportunity to gain the qualifications and skills required for an exciting and rewarding career in science and engineering. The new school is being supported by lead sponsor, Walsall College; Co-sponsor, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Council and strong partnerships with local employers.

UTCs are being backed by the government to create highly trained and educated technicians that will aid the economic recovery. In his Budget announcement on Wednesday 23rd March, Chancellor George Osborne said he will make £150 million of capital funding available to support improved technical and vocational education, including expanding the planned number of UTCs to “at least” 24 by 2014.

The Black Country UTC will deliver the ‘best of both worlds’, combining the national curriculum with high quality technical education. All the courses are actively shaped by world renowned employers, such as Siemens and National Grid, along with experienced local businesses.

Chris Hilton, Principal of the Black Country UTC said: “The Induction Evening was extremely successful, giving students the chance to find out more about this exciting new school. The evening was the first of a series of induction events that will be taking place for the Black Country UTC, which will be an inspirational learning environment for Walsall, the Black Country and Staffordshire. Our young people will be successful, make a positive contribution to society, have entrepreneurial skills and meet the needs of employers in the West Midlands”.

For more details about the Black Country UTC, forthcoming information roadshows or to apply for a place, visit the website at www.blackcountryutc.co.uk.