Register your interest
If you're interested in becoming one of our industry partners, click HERE to register your details.
Benefits of becoming a partner of UTC South Durham
The UTC is 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 with us will vary for each business but might include:
- Bridge 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 the UTC
There are a number of ways in which businesses can engage with the UTC:
Visits
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
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.
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.