UTC programme leaders heard from Baker Dearing’s new chairman and had the opportunity to look to the future at the UTC Winter Conference on Thursday 12 December.

Over 80 people attended the Westminster conference, with a total of 150 cramming into the House of Lords for the ensuing tea party and Baker Award presentation ceremony.

The tea party included the premiere of a new film made by Elstree Screen Arts Academy to mark Lord Baker’s 90th birthday and to celebrate the achievements of the UTC programme: Opening Doors: Lord Baker’s Vision for University Technical Colleges.

UTC programme could be developed through industrial strategy, says new chair

The conference was opened in the morning by Deputy Chief Executive Officer and incoming CEO Kate Ambrosi, who described the day’s packed schedule as “a conference of many moving parts.”

There was then a keynote by Baker Dearing’s new Chairman, Stephen Phipson CBE, who is also Chief Executive of the manufacturers’ representative organisation, Make UK.

Stephen described himself as an “absolute admirer, from the employers’ perspective, of the UTC programme.”

He paid tribute to the “dedication and passion” of his predecessor, Lord Baker, who is stepping up to the role of Life President of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust.

Stephen then moved onto his own background. He started his career as an engineering apprentice, before moving up to management positions with engineering giant, Smiths Group, then onto government roles with the Department for International Trade and the Home Office.

Turning to the present day, and his role at Make UK, Stephen highlighted that the manufacturing sector has 60,000 highly skilled technical vacancies and the average age of employees is 52.

At the same time, starts on the engineering technician apprenticeship programme had almost halved since the Apprenticeship Levy was introduced.

“It’s a disaster… in a situation where we have such enormous demand,” he told the attendees.

However, there was an opportunity for UTCs in the net zero transition, with the UK needing 400,000 new, qualified technical engineers for new industries such as carbon capture and hydrogen production.

Employers were also keen, he said, to use the government’s new Industrial Strategy to put “rocket boosters” under skills training, which presents a great opportunity to further develop the UTC programme.

“We can be very proud of the transformational impact of a UTC education”

Baker Dearing senior adviser Alex Hayes followed Stephen with a talk on likely changes to Ofsted’s inspection model. This was followed by a session on the UTC curriculum review being undertaken by Baker Dearing.

Then, in the session before lunch, the conference split into several sessions: one on securing work experience placements abroad for students, one on the WorldSkills series of international skills competitions, and an informal networking session for multi-academy trust CEOs.

Each gave UTC leaders the opportunity to hear from external experts and of new opportunities for students and staff.

Following lunch, the conference heard from Baker Dearing’s outgoing CEO Simon Connell, reflecting on over a decade spent with the UTC programme.

After running through how UTCs have improved on multiple measures – from Ofsted scores to student recruitment – Simon told the conference: “Overall, I think collectively we can be very proud of the transformational impact a UTC education has on young people.”

Kate then addressed the conference on her vision to turn UTCs into a world-renowned technical education programme.

“That our government shows off about us when they visit places,” she explained. “This is an amazing way to learn for our young people and the opportunities they get are outstanding.”

This can be achieved because of the success the programme has had in recruiting students: last September, the UTC programme hits a target of having 20,000 young people studying at UTCs.

As part of this aim, Baker Dearing would be reviewing its activities ahead of the next UTC conference in the summer, Kate said.

Before the attendees moved to the House of Lords for the tea party, there was a presentation for Simon to thank him for his service.

He was given a framed infographic of his achievements and major contributions to the UTC programme, as well as handmade custom cufflinks and commemorative book from students at Aston University Engineering Academy’s Goldsmiths Institute, which Simon helped set up. That was on top of the countless accounts of gratitude from staff, principals and trustees.

UTC programme gives special send off for Lord Baker

The conference attendees then moved to the House of Lords for the annual tea party, where several alumni were given special recognition for completing the Baker Award, which celebrates students for engaging with employers through their UTC education.

The main event at the tea party, however, was the presentation of gifts for Lord Baker ahead of him stepping down as Chairman after founding the UTC programme over a decade ago.

This included the film Opening Doors: Lord Baker’s Vision for University Technical Colleges which included a special message from former Education Secretary Lord Blunkett, as well as interviews with UTC students, alumni, staff and stakeholders – each saying how they or their company have benefited from the UTC programme.

AUEA Goldsmiths students had also produced a handmade signet ring for Lord Baker which he proudly put on at the event. 

The event and gifts were a fitting thanks to the founder of the UTC programme.