Creative Digital UTC launches bid
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LEEDS is set for a new University Technical College following the launch of a manufacturing focused school earlier this year.
The Creative Digital UTC is being backed by the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, and is in the process of making a bid to the Department of Education.
A school for 14-19 year olds, the school will provide technical, practical and academic learning in the creative and digital sectors as an alternative to GCSEs and A levels.
The Leeds City Region has around 40,000 people involved in the creative and digital sectors according to organisers of the bid, and the new UTC aims to fill skills gaps in the growing industry.
A steering board consisting of Kevin Evans, chief information officer at Sun Branding Solutions, Robert McClements of the CDi, Alex Naylor of Gravitas Recruitment, Jonathan Boulten from PWC as well as representatives of Leeds Beckett and the University of Leeds.
The board is taking the proposed UTC through a bid process to garner support for the school, and it will be taken before the Department of Education in March for approval.
“We are really excited about the opportunity of opening up another UTC in the area specifically focused on the Creative Digital market. Working in the IT industry within Yorkshire for the last 15 years I know how hard employers find it to find good talent; even more so now that a lot of companies are looking at Yorkshire as their main head offices!
“The demand for digital skills within the area has completely outstripped supply and if we don’t start to address this at the grass roots level it will only get worse. The introduction of the Creative Digital UTC will not entirely overcome these challenges but will certainly add weight to the cause.”
The board is hosting a employer evening to identify skills gaps and subsequently courses needed to fill those gaps on 1 December 2016, 5.30pm at the manufacturing UTC on Hunslet Road. Any local employers that are interested in finding out more please get in contact with Alex Naylor on 0113 887 4555
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