UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGES SOCIETY JCB Academy students attending a residential week at Harper Adams University College © JCB Academy Today we are seeing something of a IN THE BEGINNING effectiveness. Fewer young people were revival. Kenneth, now Lord, Baker, the progressing to careers in engineering, and, former Conservative Education Secretary, The JCB Academy was the brainchild of while his company was offering 15 Modern is spearheading a modern version of Sir Anthony Bamford, the Chairman of Apprenticeships, only eight candidates had the secondary technical school, the new JCB. He developed the idea some seven been recruited. University Technical College. years ago, at a time when his company’s In order to stimulate and regain the The colleges, for 14-19 year olds, long-standing engineering activities with interest of local young people in design and will teach engineering, product design, local schools appeared to be declining in manufacture, Bamford proposed a new health science, construction, land and environmental services and IT alongside general and academic subjects. For students under 16, this will include GCSEs in English, Mathematics, Science, the Humanities and Languages. For older students, there will be A Levels in Mathematics, Physics and other qualifications. The emphasis is on practical learning, alongside academic study, with local and national employers providing support and work experience. The aim is to produce cadres of engineering apprentices and engineering undergraduates. This is a laudable aim but not without controversy. There are many who think that specialisation to this degree at the age of 14 is a mistake. Others point to the mix of general and vocational qualifications being taken as providing a good grounding for students, including those who decide later that engineering is not, in fact, for them. Staffordshire is home to the first school and government funds are in place to UNIVERSITY establish another 23 by 2014. Moreover, recent media reports highlight Baker’s hopes to have up to 300 colleges established in the coming decade. Pointing to the first UTC, Lord Baker says: “Two things are outstanding. Truancy and TECHNICAL COLLEGES bloody-mindedness have disappeared, and there has been dramatic improvement in the quality of English and Maths, because students are studying those subjects Described by David Cameron as “the next great poverty- In 1944, Conservative politician Rab alongside engineering. The whole idea Butler, introduced an education act that of bringing under one roof the training of busting structural change we need”, University Technical was to change the face of UK education the hand and the education of the mind is Colleges nationwide are poised to offer first-class and make secondary school free for all already proving to be very successful.” pupils. His so-called Tripartite System of The JCB Academy opened its doors engineering skills to those who want technical, rather secondary education comprised three in September 2010, to be followed by than purely academic, training. Anna Paczuska, an types of secondary school: the grammar, the Black Country UTC in Walsall a year the secondary technical and the secondary later. Aston college is scheduled to open education researcher, looks at a new concept in education modern school. in 2012, Greenwich in 2013, and a Hackney that could provide highly-skilled educated technicians Decades later, grammar schools and UTC has just been announced. Many the secondary modern remain indelibly more are underway. Each specialises for the UK. etched in the memories of many but what in engineering and forms part of a about the secondary technical school? In government-funded plan to develop a truth, it never got off the ground because network of institutions providing high the limited funds available at the time were quality, high status technical education Year 10 students from The JCB Academy working on their Off Road Challenge at Harper Adams funnelled into the alternatives. at school level. University College © JCB Academy 30 INGENIA INGENIA ISSUE 48 SEPTEMBER 2011 31 UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGES SOCIETY kind of engineering-focused institution of governors, Paul Pritchard, highlights, THE BLACK COUNTRY UTC to provide practice-based education for this means students can experience real The Black Country University Technical College, Walsall, opened in September this school pupils in Staffordshire. Following projects that engineers are working on in year, is sponsored by Walsall College, The University of Wolverhampton and Siemens. a visit from Lord Baker and the late Lord industry. Fault diagnosis and maintenance Specialising in new generation, high technology engineering and sustainability, the UTC Dearing, however, all parties decided the of JCB engines is just one example of a has around 40 additional industry sponsors including Finning, Caterpillar, Chamberlin plc, JCB Academy would make a great pilot for current student project, with other projects ZF Lemforder, Haughton Design, Sandvik, Stratasys and South Staffordshire Water. the recently conceived UTC. including the development of an off-road Principal Chris Hilton sees industry partnerships as central to the UTC’s curriculum. As a UTC, the academy could pioneer vehicle with Harper Adams and the design The curriculum is organised around eight projects or units per key stage with students Baker and Dearing’s new education and manufacture of a simple pump for a jet having the opportunity to work with partner companies on real world engineering concept, now being taken forward by the engine with Rolls Royce. tasks. For example, pupils in one of their projects will be making parts for prestigious Baker Dearing Education Trust. Importantly, The Academy’s curriculum for 14-16 automotive manufacturers. it would still be promoting technically- year olds also has a strong business ethos. Students will also join the ‘Learning Companies’ scheme in which they will take part oriented study for young people, as For example, teams of students tackle in employer-led activities to promote such skills as communication, time management, initially planned by Bamford. And so engineering and business problems in planning and self management, teamwork and enterprise. Key activities include a week- the first UTC was born. work modules that last eight weeks. During long engineering project as part of the students’ induction programme and a Young The academy was set up at JCB’s this time, they cover aspects of the Higher Enterprise Day which focuses on the London 2012 Olympic Games. Tutbury Mill, originally designed by the 14-19 Diploma in Engineering as well as UTC’s first intake includes a substantial number of girls: 40% of year 10 (14 year olds) famous industrial entrepreneur and build up qualities and skills crucial to the are female. Hilton hopes that these figures will follow through to the sixth form and engineer, Richard Arkwright, in the late world of work. believes that effective marketing materials are key to attracting a diversity of students. 18th Century. The mill was being used as Academic study leads to formal For example, would-be students discover that smartphones and other high tech a storage facility when JCB joined forces qualifications with 14-16 year old appliances are modern examples of engineering while learning that industries such as with English Heritage and local planners students taking GCSEs in Mathematics, fashion and furniture design heavily rely on engineering. to create a state-of-the-art educational English, Science, German and ICT Looking to the future, Hilton emphasises the need to keep learning relevant and building for engineering and business alongside their engineering studies. contemporary and to maintain good working relations with local companies. He strongly Classes in physical education, religious studies while keeping many historical JCB Academy students are each provided with a laptop for their own use, and much of the learning believes the UTC curriculum will influence national thinking on vocational education and features intact. education, citizenship and more are makes use of the virtual learning environment with a wireless network extending across the campus © JCB Academy invoke significant change to examination syllabuses. The Department for Education currently provided with extra curricular activities in funds the UTC, with JCB contributing music, sport and art also being mandatory. 10% of the capital. Business partners Meanwhile, 16-19 year olds focus on the students make up only 10% of the But as more young people, parents and include Bentley, Bombardier, Bosch, Advanced 14-19 Diploma in Engineering, academy’s total student population. educators learn about UTCs, the benefits Rexroth, National Grid, JCB, Rolls-Royce, which is equivalent to three and a half On the lack of teachers, Pritchard believes of learning in a practical and technical Toyota, Parker Vansco, Zytek Automotive A levels. These students can also choose assignments from business and industry environment will become clearer. And, and National Rail. At the same time, additional study from a wide range of and in-company training could help to for many young people, the JCB Academy education partners include the universities A levels. A business qualification was solve this issue. could well be the ideal environment in also introduced in September 2011. of Cambridge, Derby, Loughborough, Issues aside, the JCB Academy’s which they can develop, thrive and achieve. and Staffordshire as well as Harper Adams head teacher and former head of Devon University College and Thomas Alleyne’s THE FIRST YEAR Technology College, Jim Wade, is adamant High School. So was the JCB Academy’s first year a his pupils have made exceptional progress, Business and education partnerships success? In short, yes. According to beyond that which they might have made BIOGRAPHY provide pupils with access to a range of Pritchard, the Academy hit admissions in other settings. This, he says, is because Anna Paczuska is an education engineering facilities in both industry and targets, recruiting 120 14-year olds and subjects such as Mathematics are given researcher and writer.