UTC South Durham were delighted to host the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, to see the impressive technical facilities and hear from students about how they are being successful in their professional and educational experiences. A big thank you goes Paul Howell MP for arranging the visit which took place on Friday 27th January.
Mr Gove said, “The students who I spoke to this afternoon were true advocates and so passionate about their education at the UTC. It is clear, that they are confidently preparing for their future careers and are willing to travel from across the region to access this opportunity.”
The Secretary of State was keen to understand the very strong industry links and the success of the recently launched Engineering T-Level at the UTC, as well as gather feedback about how the new courses could be improved to ensure their future success. He heard about the achievements of UTCs across the country, 85% of which now have Ofsted ratings of Good or Outstanding. He added “Our country needs more skilled professionals to meet the opportunities of devolution and growth, and the transformation of UTCs means they are now an excellent example of how the education system can prepare young people for their careers.”
“Over the past five years there has been a clear transformation in the UTC programme, it is now delivering against the original vision our country needs more skilled professionals and UTCs are an excellent example of how the education system can prepare young people for careers in engineering, digital, and health care.”