My name is Gareth Bone, and I am proud to serve UTC South Durham as a Founding Trustee.
My passion for supporting education and strengthening the link between industry and the classroom began during my engineering apprenticeship with Black & Decker, where I became a STEM Ambassador.
I currently hold the position of R&D Technical Centre Manager at Gestamp UK and bring both technical and commercial experience, supported by degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business & Finance. I also contribute to several industry advisory boards, helping me stay closely aligned with evolving best practice and future industry skills needs.
I am passionate about giving back to the education system the knowledge, experience, and opportunities I gained through my own training and career development. I strongly believe that embedding industry thinking into education is critical in preparing students for successful careers.
As a Trustee, I value working closely with teachers and school leadership to ensure strong alignment between the curriculum, student development, and real-world industry expectations. I bring both an engineering industry perspective and a parent’s perspective to the Board, with both of my sons having completed engineering pathways, including engineering apprenticeships.
I remain committed to supporting industry projects, T-Level placements, and meaningful work experience opportunities, while helping position UTC South Durham as a leading bridge between education and engineering careers.
