Latest news

Who they are
The Student Leadership Team had to apply and be interviewed in order to become a part of the team. We currently have 10 members who were carefully selected through an application and interview process across 4 different year groups. Student leaders act as ambassadors both inside and outside of the UTC, to both fellow students and also engage with businesses outside of the UTC.

What they do
The Student Leadership team take on ideas from the Student body and turn them into a reality. They act as ambassadors for other students and are a voice for the student body. Student leaders work with companies and members of staff to support them within their roles. They are involved in doing presentations to businesses and also other stakeholders to promote the work of the UTC. They are professional and approachable and work for the good of the UTC. Each member of the Student Leadership Team member has their own unique role and responsibilities within the team including business engagement, supporting with the curriculum in year 12 and 13 and they are also looking at a social media strategy to promote the work of the UTC. Student members attend regular meetings which they manage and structure themselves with agendas and items to be discussed.

Benefits of being on the Student Leadership Team
Being on the Student Leadership Team is a very exciting opportunity for our students to be involved in. It allows students the experience of finding out more about how a school and businesses work and function. It is good for students to use on their CV or job applications as a position of responsibility. Student leaders have enhanced communication skills as they are often involved in presenting to businesses or to other stakeholders and are also able to negotiate and input to debates. Students develop their soft skills as they are involved in working together as a team and develop resilience as they work through problems together. Students who have been on the students leadership team say they get additional experiences and opportunities that they wouldn’t normally get, including the chance to network with businesses and be involved in the planning and delivery of events. The first student leadership team meeting took place at the boardroom of Phillips 66 which was a fantastic experience for them to be involved in.

Job title: Mechanical Engineer

Job description:

Mechanical engineers provide efficient solutions to the development of processes and products, ranging from small component designs to extremely large plant, machinery or vehicles.

They can work on all stages of a product, from research and development to design and manufacture, through to installation and final commissioning.

Most industries rely on a form of mechanical systems and mechanical engineering is thought to be one of the most diverse of all engineering disciplines. Due to this, there are employment opportunities in a range of sectors, including:

• aerospace
• automotive
• biomedical
• construction
• manufacturing
• power
• railway.

Mechanical engineers can be involved in the management of people, projects and resources, as well as the development and use of new materials and technologies.

Key roles and responsibilities:

Projects that mechanical engineers work on can vary significantly, from researching and developing medical products (such as mechanical hearts), to improving production processes in large oil refineries or designing services within buildings.

Across all sectors, your tasks generally include:

• designing and implementing cost-effective equipment modifications to help improve safety and reliability
• developing a project specification with colleagues, often including those from other engineering disciplines
• developing, testing and evaluating theoretical designs
• discussing and solving complex problems with manufacturing departments, sub-contractors, suppliers and customers
• making sure a product can be made reliably and will perform consistently in specified operating environments
• managing projects using engineering principles and techniques
• planning and designing new production processes
• producing details of specifications and outline designs
• recommending modifications following prototype test results
• using research, analytical, conceptual and planning skills, particularly mathematical modelling and computer-aided design
• considering the implications of issues such as cost, safety and time constraints
• working with other professionals, within and outside the engineering sector
• monitoring and commissioning plant and systems.

Entry requirements (and preferences):

 To get into mechanical engineering you will usually be required to have a degree. Relevant subjects include:

• aeronautical engineering
• agricultural engineering
• computer-aided engineering
• engineering science
• manufacturing engineering
• mechanical engineering
• nuclear enginerring.

A good honours degree is usually required, although some employers place as much emphasis on people skills and commercial awareness as on class of degree.

A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is not essential but it can be useful, especially if your first degree is not in an engineering or other related subject. Masters are available in subjects such as:

• computer aided engineering
• design engineering
• manufacturing engineering
• mechanical engineering
• medical engineering.

It is useful if your first degree or Masters is accredited by a relevant professional body, such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), as it can help you to achieve the status of chartered engineer at a later date. Details of accredited courses are available at Engineering Council – Accredited Course Search.

It is possible to enter the career as a trainee with a HND or foundation degree. Relevant subjects include engineering and mechanical engineering.

You could become an engineering technician without a degree, HND or foundation degree but would need to build up the necessary skills and knowledge, and possibly take higher qualifications, to work up to the role of mechanical engineer.

Fluency in a second language may be helpful for dealing with international offices or clients, depending on the type of industry.

Find out about employers before your final year and make contact with them at engineering recruitment fairs.

It is also useful to get student membership with a professional body, to keep up to date with developments in the industry and to start making contacts. Relevant organisations include:

• Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

Salary:

• Starting salaries for mechanical engineers and for those on graduate training schemes are in the range of £20,000 to £28,000.
• With experience this can increase to between £25,000 and £35,000. At a mid-level for lead or principle engineers salaries are around £35,000 to £50,000.
• When a senior level is reached, such as chief engineer, salaries of £45,000 to £60,000+ can be achieved.

Salaries vary from company to company and some sectors attract higher salaries, according to demand.

I’d like to say well done to our students following yesterday’s GCSE Results.  Hard work and enthusiasm saw us exceeding national averages in maths and English and I’m delighted to say that all students passed at least one Engineering qualification.

Thank you to all our students and staff for all their hard work and commitment.  I am determined to build on this success and ensure that our UTC provides the best possible workplace education for our region’s young people.

As we continue to grow, we still have places available for Y10 and Y12 students from September so if you’d like to know more about what we can offer, please do get in touch with me.

Darren Cunningham from Phillips 66 presenting the Industry Partnership Special Award to student Rhys McNulty.

Humber UTC students, parents, staff and industry partners gathered at Forest Pines Hotel in Brigg to celebrate a successful year at the college.

A packed room heard Marc Doyle, Principal of the college, reflect on a year of academic achievement as students collected awards for a range of subjects with special acknowledgement for Outstanding Students in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13; the student contributing most to the college and the most improved student.  The big award of the night was the Phillips 66 Industry Partnership Special Award which went to Year 10 student, Rhys McNulty, who was recongised as an excellent ambassador for the UTC in everything he does.

Representatives from a range of the University Technical College’s industry partners, including CATCH, Phillips 66, Triton Knoll, Jacobs, Cristal, the Royal Air Force and British Steel, attended to present the students with their awards.

Gavin Jones from Cristal said: “We are extremely proud to be associated with Humber UTC.  The college is hugely important to us, providing us with our new employees of the future.  We help to shape the curriculum to ensure students will graduate with skills that are relevant not only to us, but other local employers in the renewables and engineering sectors here in the Humber region. It’s been a great evening for everyone here and all the students deserve recognition for what they’ve achieved.”

Marc Doyle, Principal, commented: “All the students have worked hard this year so it’s only fitting that we should all celebrate together. I’m proud of them all and I’m excited about the future as we look forward to next year. I’m passionate about ensuring Humber UTC not only provides a great education but also a very strong pathway to a fantastic career.  Seeing so many of our industry partners here tonight is a demonstration of how valuable the UTC is to local employers. It’s been great to be able to thank everyone for their continued support.”

Keynote speaker at the event was acclaimed local writer, speaker and broadcaster, Richard Askam, who shared his story about his successful career working with global brands.

The full list of winners:

English – Liam Ironmonger

Mathematics – Matthew Boden

Science – Dylan Martin

Computer Science – Chanice Chapman

Geography – Luke Dunn

Spanish – Taylur-Rae Rice

Engineering – Joe Graves

Outstanding Student Year 10 – Leonardo Lobont

Outstanding Student Year 11 – Ellie Green

Outstanding Student Year 12 – Matthew Boden

Outstanding Student Year 13 – Owen Clark

Contribution to College – Aaron Tompkins

Most Improved – Emily Greening

Effort – Luke Storey

Special Recognition – Brynly Hobson

Industry Partnership Special Award – Rhys McNulty

Humberside is changing and companies need engineers to serve a growing industry. At Humber UTC, we work to fill that need. We understand the importance of high standards in education and are passionate about putting the college at the heart of developments in the Humber Energy Estuary, with a very enthusiastic and hard-working staff supporting students to be ready for the world of work or university.

Our facilities are first class and we believe that through our dedication to engineering, manufacturing and design we open up a world of opportunity. I believe that excellent relationships and brilliant teaching make this college a truly inspirational community.

​We have unique and solid links with industry, giving students chances to access all that is available from our many sponsors.

I am passionate about creating a college that you feel comfortable to approach, have confidence in, and send your children to in the knowledge that they are receiving not just a good education, but a pathway to a fantastic career.

I am always happy to show visitors what we have to offer. Feel free to get in touch

​Click here to read the article as featured in FE Weekly.