Go-ahead for university college

THE Department of Education has given the go-ahead for the proposed new University Technical College at Warrington.
It will open in September next year in a purpose-built facility in the heart of Warrington Borough Council’s £190 million Stadium Quarter development, off Winwick Road.
The UTC will give teenagers in and around Warrington the opportunity of a lifetime, offering a safe, high quality, technically-orientated curriculum for 14-19 year olds in an environment where young people are encouraged to follow their interests and to develop them into engineering-related skills and qualifications.
The Warrington UTC will offer specialisms in engineering and energy and be open to students from across the region from Liverpool to Manchester – not just the Warrington area.
It is sponsored by the University of Chester with support from Warrington Borough Council and local employers including Sellafield Ltd, Tenet, Nuvia and AMEC.
As international, national, regional and local employers, these organisations will play a major role, helping to shape the curriculum and relate it to future jobs that match the needs of the local economy. In turn, students will acquire the skills and knowledge that are in demand from employers.
The UTC will offer its students clear progression routes into higher education, apprenticeships or full time employment. By working closely with local employers the UTC will offer students, as part of their studies, opportunities to connect with local businesses on valuable work experience projects.
It will also be a key component in the regeneration and renaissance of Warrington’s town centre.
The Stadium Quarter is a 90 acre site situated in the heart of the town centre which sits between the Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium and the bus interchange immediately opposite Warrington Central railway station.
Professor Peter Harrop, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Provost of the university’s Warrington Campus said: “The University of Chester has had a presence in Warrington for over 10 years. The UTC builds on that presence and offers an excellent fit with the findings of the Warrington Skills Commision as well as our new Faculty of Science and Engineering at Thornton. This is joined-up educational planning, clearly linked to the Warrington economic strategy.”
Cllr Terry O’Neill, (pictured right) leader of Warrington Borough Council said: “This is a fabulous coup for the town. Warrington excels in the nuclear and engineering sectors. The UTC will train, equip and prepare young people for careers in these sectors, address the skills gap and so grow and protect the future of these sectors in the town.
“The announcement also provides the trigger that kick starts development on our Stadium Quarter site and the ongoing renaissance of our town centre.
“On a regional and national scale it will attract greater investment to the borough and North West as a whole as employers will want to be based where the much-needed skill set is available.”