Employer and university engagement are integral to the success of UTCs. Employers themselves engage students through project-based learning; this brings ‘real life’ workplace challenges into the classroom as part of the curriculum. They also offer mentoring and provide work experience to UTC students. Employer and university involvement helps nurture the necessary attitudes and attributes for UTC students to become ‘work ready’.

The Baker Dearing Educational Trust assists UTCs directly to provide employer and university engagement activities for the benefit of their students. We also work with large employers to introduce programmes of teaching and learning across multiple UTCs.

UTCs are relatively new schools, with a distinct curriculum and with student recruitment taking place at the age of 13 or 14. Promoting the value of a UTC education to parents and students requires extra funding and expertise, both of which are not commonly found within the state education system.

The Baker Dearing Educational Trust directly, and through third-party agencies, provides tailored support to help UTCs enhance student recruitment. We offer UTC access to centrally-produced marketing materials and data, as well as research and training in ‘best practice’. In addition, the charity ensures that government initiatives, such as the Baker Clause (which helps UTC staff to promote their school to others) and the Local Authority letter raising UTC awareness, are implemented effectively.

UTCs are still relatively new institutions. Despite their success to date (as measured by impressive student destinations), ongoing and targeted lobbying on behalf of the programme is needed to embed UTCs fully within the educational landscape.

Baker Dearing staff meet regularly with senior staff from various parts of the Department for Education (Policy, ESFA, regional school commissioner directorates, Ofqual, Ofsted), as well as at the ministerial level, to identify tangible initiatives to help UTCs. We also meet with individual Members of Parliament to promote UTCs at a local level.

The 44 UTCs across England provide a similar education and face the same opportunities and challenges. Furthermore, UTC principals, as do all headteachers, change relatively frequently, typically every 3 years.

The Baker Dearing Educational Trust runs a rich programme of online and physical events (over 50 per annum) to facilitate the sharing of knowledge amongst UTC principals, heads of specialisms, finance professionals, marketing and employer engagement leads, and chairs of governors. In addition, we produce regular reports and research specifically about UTCs.

UTCs have a STEM focus, which traditionally engages male learners more readily. An ambition of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust is to equalise the percentage of girls across the programme (currently just 30%) with that of boys, and we share ‘best practice’ on how best to achieve this aim. By enabling students to join at 14 years of age, UTCs also create ‘second chance’ opportunities to students who have been let down by the education system. Most of these students thrive once joining a UTC. Therefore, it is vital that all students who are disengaged with their studies, often from disadvantaged backgrounds, are aware of the opportunity afforded to them by UTCs.