University technical colleges (UTCs) need to be proactive and target the “right employers”, according to research. 

The report also highlights the need for UTCs to employ key staff with industry backgrounds and connections and make improvements to the project-based learning (PBL) aspects of the curriculum. 

The research, undertaken by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) in 2019, reflects on the many challenges the institutions have faced and offers seven recommendations for how they could improve. 

Background: ‘Poor leadership and governance’ behind UTC failures

Long read: Meet the man on a mission to make a success of UTCs

Need to know: 5 danger signs threatening the future of UTCs

It finds that UTCs struggled with securing and managing a suitable range of employers to provide high-quality input into the curriculum, recruiting and training appropriate students and recruiting and retaining high-calibre staff. 

In the past nine years, 58 UTCs have opened, but 10 have closed. According to a report by the National Audit Office, published last October, the 48 open as of January 2019 were operating, on average, at 45 per cent capacity. The NAO cited “poor leadership and governance” as the reason many had failed.

In an exclusive interview with Tes at the time, Simon Connell, chief executive of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, the organisation behind UTCs, said that the NAO had painted a ”glass half empty” picture and that overall education standards in UTCs were rising. 

The recommendations in full 

1. “Be proactive and target the ‘right’ employers. Research and understand the local economic and industrial sector to identify the companies that will fit best with the school’s PBL approach. Schools should continually reach out to businesses, asking how the school can support and help them become involved in curriculum design and delivery, thereby helping to meet employers’ recruitment needs in the future. Record all connections with employers systematically and ensure the senior leadership team has access to activity records.
2. “Develop and train staff so that they share a common goal and fully embrace the importance of employer input into PBL. Identify the staff member who will own the relationship and the project.
3. “Promote UTCs (or the school) and their educational approach. Demonstrate how employers can play an integral part in developing and delivering PBL and, at the same time, reap rewards for their business.
4. “In order to improve the constantly evolving PBL model, consider including timetable changes. In this way students, for example, can access a full day of uninterrupted PBL rather than sessions being spread across the week.
5. “Employ key staff with industry backgrounds and connections. This will enhance the relationships between the school and local businesses - this is a key way of developing the depth and breadth of PBL.
6. “Make employer contributions clear and easy to understand. Explain in as much detail as possible exactly what they will need to do. Allow employers to contribute at a level that suits them. Involve employers early on in any project and support them so that they know exactly what their contribution will be and when and reassure them that the school will do as much as possible to facilitate their contribution.
7. “Celebrate successful completion of projects. Secure students’ buy-in and full understanding that PBL and working with employers, will enable them to gain skills and knowledge so they will ‘stand out’ in future.”