Leading scientist Professor Lord Winston officially opened Sheffield’s second University Technical College on 23 May.
During the visit Lord Winston toured the new facilities at Olympic Legacy Park, saw students demonstrating technical tasks, took part in a student-led question and answer session and unveiled a commemorative plaque.
Computing students showcased their robotics and Raspberry Pi skills; health sciences students explored the quality and quantity of sex cells under the microscope; and science students demonstrated extracting DNA from kiwi fruit.
Dr Sarah Clark, Principal, UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, commented:
We are so proud that Lord Winston, who is one of the country’s leading scientists and whom one of our four student learning companies is named after, has officially opened our fantastic building.
Students and staff have worked very hard to make our first year successful, and I would like to thank parents and carers, our sponsors and all the other organisations and employers that have backed us, for their fantastic support.
Student Lewis Hardy, 17, is completing the computing specialism, as well as A Levels, and wants to go on to university to study robotics. He said:
It was great to see such a well known scientist visit the UTC. It’s a great place to study. I really enjoy the practical in-depth technical learning at the UTC and working on real projects.
Sir Andrew Cash, Chief Executive, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
Healthcare is evolving at a tremendous pace and demand is only going to increase given our ageing population. It is therefore so important that we are at the forefront of not just training the next generation of healthcare professionals but exciting them about the opportunities ahead and encouraging them to be the innovators of the future. I am so pleased that Professor Winston was able to join us to officially open our second University Technical College in Sheffield.
Places are still available in Year 10 and Year 12 for this September. The UTC has also just launched a public consultation to lower its recruitment age to 13. To find out more, visit www.utcsheffield.org.uk or call 0114 2603970.
