New UTC acting principal Melanie Radford, who took up her post this month, has been busy meeting parents and pupils at school events across the region.

Melanie, a scientist and educator, says one of her main aims is to make sure that every UTC Cambridge graduate leaves the college with a university place, apprenticeship or job to go to.

“The UTC will provide the skills that employers in the sector want, and they are supporting the curriculum – which will give our students a head start when they leave to go into work or further or higher education,” she said.

The state-funded UTC, which opens in September 2014, will specialise in teaching biomedical and environmental science and technology in a £10 million state-of-the-art building in Robinson Way, Cambridge.

Melanie said she was delighted to be in post. “I’ve been so impressed by the level of knowledge about the UTC already in place. The enthusiasm for science in this region is wonderful,” she said.

“I’ve been talking to parents and pupils at schools all over the region, meeting science teachers and careers advisers and employers – and the feedback has been hugely positive,” she said.

“They particularly love the idea of the UTC’s Challenge Projects – where students will work on a six-week employer-led project, giving them the chance to learn alongside scientists in a real work environment.”

The UTC will take students at the age of 14 and 16 from a 25-mile radius of Cambridge, offering GCSEs, A levels and BTEC qualifications alongside the Challenge Projects.

Cambridge Regional College and Cambridge University Health Partners are lead sponsors of the UTC Cambridge, which is backed by leading employers including Napp Pharmaceuticals, MRC, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge Cleantech and the Babraham Institute.

For more information, see www.utccambridge.co.uk, or visit the UTC Cambridge open days on 22 and 23 November at the Deakin Centre, Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

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