Report Shows Strong Public Support for UTC 2

18th June 2015

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the strong public support for a second university technical college (UTC) in the city, describing them as a 'win-win' for employers and students alike.

Results from a report on the eight-week public consultation showed more than 80 per cent of respondents backed the project moving forwards by applying for a government funding agreement. Sheffield Chamber Executive Director Richard Wright said: -The launch of Yorkshire's first UTC has been a real success in Sheffield and we expect no less from the second. -UTCs ensure that employers and educationalists work together, creating a win-win for them and the students. Students benefit from gaining the skills and experience to secure jobs and careers and employers get the staff they need to push the economy forward. -It's about working in partnership to achieve something better. UTC 2 Sheffield for Human Sciences and Computing is due to open at the Olympic Legacy Park in September 2016. Led by The Sheffield College, with co-sponsors Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, the £10m facility will provide 14 to 19-year-olds with academic qualifications and technical skills for the computing, healthcare technology, sports science, exercise medicine and wellbeing sectors. Meanwhile employers will influence the building design and be central to the curriculum. Andrew Cropley, Executive Director for Strategic Planning and Business Development, The Sheffield College, said: -We are delighted with the consultation response, which demonstrates strong public support for a second university technical college in the city. -As with the first UTC, the second one will give young people an employer-led educational experience. -For businesses, this provides an opportunity to shape every aspect of that for 600 of our talented young people to ensure that they create the very best future workforce. -It also demonstrates, very clearly, The Sheffield College's commitment to investing in the skills needs of businesses across the Sheffield City Region. The public can find out more at a community event at the English Institute of Sport, Coleridge Road, on Tuesday July 14 from 5.30pm to 7.00pm. To book a place, go to: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/utc-2-community-event-tickets-17298069993 To find out more about UTC and to read the consultation summary report, go to http://www.utc2sheffield.org.uk/