Case Study University Sponsors The Elstree University Technical College
As a major sponsor of the new Elstree University Technical College (UTC), the University of Hertfordshire is helping to develop the region’s young talent pool and economy.
Vocational focus
Opening its doors for the first time in September 2013, the Elstree UTC is one of a new wave of state-funded schools for fourteen to nineteen year-olds focusing on technically-orientated paths of study. The Elstree UTC specialises in entertainment technologies and crafts, and electronic engineering and digital technologies to provide students aspiring to work in the entertainment, film, television, theatre, visual arts and digital communication industries with the skills required for these particular career paths.
Students divide their time between learning core academic subjects and developing technical and vocational skills by working on real-life projects, ranging from film-editing to building set materials. With strong links to industry employers, the Elstree UTC adopts this practical learning approach to prepare students for the world of work and provide progression routes into further study at college or university.
A new way to learn
By working closely with the University of Hertfordshire, the Elstree UTC is able to offer students the opportunity to focus on studying a subject of interest to them, taught in industry-standard facilities by teachers with specialist experience in a variety of creative and technical fields.
Dr Stephen Boffey, the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Regional Affairs, says: “The Elstree UTC is a hugely exciting development for Hertfordshire and will help to fill the gap that can sometimes exist between stepping out of education and into the workplace. It presents local young people aspiring to work in these particular industries with a unique opportunity to acquire exactly the skills, knowledge and experience that the region’s employers are looking for.
“Our University has a long and strong association with the creative, film and TV industries for which Hertfordshire is a vibrant hub. We’re collaborating closely with other sponsors such as Elstree Studios and the Ambassador Theatre Group to shape the UTC’s curriculum. We’re also offering the use of the University’s facilities, as well as masterclasses, visiting lecturers and student mentors.”
Developing a network
Elstree UTC is expected to have around six-hundred students once at full capacity in 2016, but initially it is offering ninety places for Year 10 students and 140 places for Year 12 students.
The Department for Education is continuing to work with The Baker Dearing Educational Trust, local employers, universities and further education colleges across England with the aim of developing a network of at least a hundred UTCs by 2015.
More Information
To find out more about The Elstree University Technical College, please visit the website: www.elstreeutc.co.uk.