WARRINGTON’S Mayor Geoff Settle saw first hand the potential for the town’s new University Technical College, currently under construction, during a visit to Bolton UTC.
Cllr Settle was invited by the Lord Mayor of Bolton to view their University Technical College after telling him one was due to open in Warrington and he would like to see what one was like.
Warrington’s UTC is due to open in September and will specialise in energy and engineering for students aged 14 to 19, as part of the new Stadium Quarter development raking place near the town centre.
Cllr Settle said: “Having spent a number of years working in Bolton at United Utilities Call Centre, using my many years of Software Engineering, I wanted to see the changes that had taken place in and around the new University Campus.
“I was impressed by both organisations, offerings, staff but most important of all the behaviour of the pupils.
“Forty years ago I attended night school at Bolton in the Municipal Buildings to learn Fortran Programming. We even used punch cards that were compiled in a massive computer and printouts of massive sheets that weighed a ton that you had to pour over to highlight your mistakes. Getting something right could take weeks. Not like today with apps and instant results.
“I used to drive to Bolton once a week from Burnley because computer courses were few and far between and better than wading through a large teach yourself manual.
“How things have changed! If only I’d had these new facilities, technical labs for dentistry, robotics, pharmacy, and electronics are fantastic.
“Having only 12 teeth left in my mouth I was able to work on a dummy in the dentistry lab to see how my dentures were made. Sadly I didn’t have time for the robotics.”
Bolton’s UTC principal, David Goddard lives in Chapelford Warrington and has already received a visit from Warrington’s Principal Lee Barber.
Cllr Settle added: ” Warrington’s UTC principal had been at the College only the week before me and is therefore very aware of what can be achieved. I’m sure that they will keep in touch and exchange best practice.”
Bolton UTC
