How employers work with a UTC

UTCs are about preparing young people to be your employees. We hope that in time you will look to us first for your young workforce because our students leave us with the skills you're searching for.

Reasons to get involved:

  • Bridging the skills gap - Getting to know and shape your potential workforce.
  • A head start with recruitment and reducing the risk, particularly for apprenticeships.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility.
  • Good publicity for your business through our partners' logo board, events and press coverage.
  • Develop your staff by enhancing their confidence and skills in training young people.
  • Create opportunities for continuous professional development and mentoring.
  • The satisfaction of watching young people grow.

How you can support a UTC

There are a number of ways in which businesses can engage with a UTC:

1. Visit

A visit by a group of students to briefly see your business, operations and understand the kinds of jobs available. There is flexibility in how many and how long but it might be 10-15 students for 2-3 hours with a member of our staff.

A typical programme could be:

  • Welcome and overview of the business.
  • Tour of the facilities (one group or more than one).
  • Q&A session with some staff or short practical based activity on site.

2. Set our students an ’employer challenge’!

Our students love live briefs and employer challenges. Why don’t you download our employer challenge template and give them something to sink their teeth into!

Download a Challenge

Or participate in an existing project

Participate In a Project

3. Placements

These will be arranged as progressive placements (eg a day or half day over 12 weeks), with a clear programme and agreed output. These are best done with 2-4 students so that they can work together. We have several examples of types of placement but the way it works is very much tailored to your organisation. Advice on programme structure and the suitability of project work will be offered by the UTC.

4. Meet a teacher

A simple way of making links between the school curriculum and how it is applied in the real world. A member of your staff to meet with a teacher and have a conversation; this might just be useful for the teacher or it might develop into two-way visits or a project for students. Click to see a sample Skills Passport created between Liverpool Life Sciences UTC and their employer partners.

5. Sponsorship or support in-kind

If you're interested in becoming a partner of a specific UTC or to work with the group nationally like the Royal Navy, further information is available in our employer information pack below. If you would like to express an interest in becoming an employer partner please complete our form.

6. Employing our graduates

Students graduating from a UTC – either at 16 or 18 – will be perfectly prepared to enter work in your business – whichever sector the role may be within.

Contact a UTC

If you have a query for a specific UTC, please use the form below…

    Please direct all media enquiries to press@utcolleges.org

    Employers

    UTC's are working with world-leading employers...