Next stop Doncaster! Public urged to back bid to bring Great British Railways HQ to South Yorkshire
Doncaster is calling on the public to get behind its bid to become the home of the headquarters of Great British Railways.
A competition to provide the national home for the new organisation to run the railways, Great British Railways (GBR), has been announced and around a dozen towns and cities across the country are bidding for it.
The Government has said that the location must be outside of London to bring jobs and investment opportunities and support levelling up in another part of the country. Other criteria include that places bidding should have a rich railway history, are strongly linked to the network, have good connectivity, be able to offer value for money and be able to demonstrate public support.
Given Doncaster’s historic links with the railways dating back to the 1850s and, as the birthplace of the Mallard and Flying Scotsman, its central position on the East Coast Main Line and its air, rail and road links, the town considers that it is ideally placed to host the headquarters of GBR.
In addition, Doncaster is arguing that basing the HQ in the town will bring benefits throughout South Yorkshire and to neighbouring areas as it will further underline the strength of the rail industry cluster in the region. This will help to attract further investment and create more jobs directly and through the supply chain required to support the cluster. Through this, and by directly creating highly qualified and high wage jobs on its own, having the HQ will contribute to the levelling up of the region.
Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “We are up against stiff competition, but Doncaster more than meets all the criteria stipulated by the Government, but we need the whole of Doncaster and South Yorkshire to support us promote our town as the ideal place to locate Great British Rail. Winning this bid will bring huge benefits to the town and I appeal to the people of Doncaster and South Yorkshire to help us prove that it has support from businesses and the public.”
Dan Jarvis, Mayor of South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, said: “The government has pledged to ‘Level Up’ our communities and having the GBR HQ in Doncaster would be a massive shot in the arm for our economy, which would bring much needed jobs and investment to Doncaster and the wider region. It would also further cement the region as a centre of rail excellence and a great place to invest in. I’m encouraging all our businesses and people across South Yorkshire to show their support for the bid.”
Dame Rosie Winterton MP said: “Doncaster people are very proud of their deep rooted rail history and would be prouder still to offer Great British Railways a home here. Doncaster is still home to over 50 rail companies and we hope to be able to continue this tradition by adding the GBR HQ to our thriving rail industry.”
Ed Miliband MP said: “GBR HQ would be right at home in Doncaster where sustainable transport is high on our agenda, offering people high quality public transport choices to help protect our environment. Doncaster’s location offers excellent connection across the country and locally which is why it attracts commuters from a wide area to work in the town and would enable the GBR HQ to be easily reached from all over.”
Nick Fletcher MP said: “Investment is big business in Doncaster and it already has a vibrant, growing economy which offers excellent value for money and a raft of opportunities. All the criteria points to Doncaster as the ideal location and the town would benefit greatly from the investment this would bring. I will be stating our case strongly in Westminster.”
The public are being urged to get involved by indicating why they think the HQ should be based in Doncaster through completing a short survey and submitting their comments by visiting www.doncaster.gov.uk/GBRHQ
£4.8m business rates relief scheme launched in Rotherham
A £4.8m fund to help businesses who have lost out due to the COVID-19 pandemic is to be made available by Rotherham Council.
Business owners need to act fast, with the application window due to close at the end of April.
Businesses that have suffered a negative financial impact from the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2021/22 financial year are invited to apply to Rotherham Council for business rates relief, under a scheme that is now open.
Applicants will be able to apply for rates relief of 50%, up to a maximum of £6,000, until the application window closes on 30 April 2022. All claims will be assessed after this date, when the total award will be reviewed and applied. Dependent upon the number of successful claims received, the relief award could be increased above the current maximum of £6,000.
The Council scheme will follow Government criteria for the awarding of grants, which states that the Council must:
- not award relief to ratepayers who for the same period are or would have been eligible for the Extended Retail Discount (covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure), or the Nursery Discount.
- not award relief to a business premise for a period when it is unoccupied (other than hereditaments which have become closed temporarily due to the government’s advice on COVID-19, which should be treated as occupied for the purposes of this relief), and
- direct their support towards ratepayers who have been adversely affected by the pandemic and have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact.
- Public sector organisations
- Banks
- Utilities
- Advertising Units
- Petrol Stations
- Sports Facilities and Grounds
- Community Centres
- Factories
- Offices (Commerical/Educational/Industrial etc)
- Workshops
- Retail Warehouses
- Vehicle repair workshops and premises
New jobs created as Bilfinger UK Expands Presence in the North East
Engineering and maintenance contractor Bilfinger UK has opened a new state-of-the-art Fabrication Facility in Humberside. The expansion is part of a strategy to grow its operational footprint in the North East and support the construction of the UK’s largest low carbon energy project at Hinkley Point C in Somerset. In doing so Bilfinger UK is playing its part to help the country reach net zero.
The new 73,400 square ft. facility located in Hull will be an addition to Bilfinger UK’s fabrication portfolio, with an existing 50,000 square ft. facility located in Ellesmere Port, enabling the business to support their customers from both the East and West coasts of the UK.
The facility is set to create over 30 new jobs whilst also providing the perfect infrastructure to support further growth and industrial capability in Humberside, Teesside and the wider Eastern region.
The facility will provide pipework fabrication services to Hinkley Point C and other nuclear clients as well as new and existing customers in the markets within which Bilfinger UK operate, these include energy, chemical & petrochemical, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals & biopharma, power and water.
The development of the new facility in Hull follows the creation of some 350 new jobs across Britain, including specialist roles in engineering and manufacturing at its UK locations in Warrington, Humberside, Bristol and Somerset, boosting UK industrial capacity and manufacturing capability. Like many suppliers engaged in the construction of Hinkley Point C, Bilfinger UK are using factory construction and innovation to increase quality and productivity which can also be transferred to future low-carbon energy projects.
Jane Atkinson, Executive Director, Bilfinger UK said: “Bilfinger UK’s new state-of-the-art fabrication facility is a great investment for helping the UK meet its net zero target. The facility being located in Hull will bring growth and high value jobs to the North East region, which in turn will help shape the future of the low carbon economy.”
Harworth accelerates Waverley development with land parcel sales for 172 homes and a new hotel
Harworth Group plc, a leading regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment announces the sale of two land parcels at its Waverley development site in Rotherham, South Yorkshire: a 12.6-acre plot sold to Avant Homes for the delivery of 172 new residential units, and a 2.7-acre plot sold to Stapleford Ventures for the development of a 4- star 150- bedroom Marriott hotel
The sale to Avant Homes represents the housebuilder’s fourth acquisition at Waverley, and the land parcel is adjacent to one purchased by the housebuilder in 2020 for the delivery of 144 homes. The new homes will be situated between the River Rother and Highwall Park, in an area of the development known as ‘Waverley Riverside’. The construction will follow a bespoke design code that complements the existing Waverley development while maximising the amenity value of its riverside location. As part of the construction, Harworth will provide a new perimeter cycle and bridleway path adjacent to the river, and will begin work on the first phase of Highwall Park, a planned 1.5km linear park running through the heart of the Waverley site, connecting the Advanced Manufacturing Park (“AMP”) to the Waverley lakes. To minimise environmental impact, development platforms will be created from reused materials from elsewhere on site, and topsoil will be imported from Harworth’s nearby Micklefields development. The proposed hotel will operate under Marriott’s “Courtyard” brand and provide 150 bedrooms across six floors, alongside a restaurant and gym facilities for guests. The hotel will occupy a prominent position at the entrance roundabout to the Waverley development, and will provide an important community asset for use by residents and businesses at the adjacent AMP. At Waverley, Harworth is transforming the former Orgreave colliery into a new community of up to 3,890 homes and 2.1 million sq. ft of industrial & logistics space at the AMP, alongside 310-acres of green open space. To date, land has been sold for over 1,875 homes, and 1.5 million sq. ft of space has been delivered at the AMP. Harworth is currently awaiting the outcome of a planning application for Olive Lane, a new heart of the community for Waverley, where proposals include a supermarket, restaurants and cafes, a medical centre and offices, alongside additional residential development. Andrew Blackshaw, Chief Operating Officer, Harworth Group plc said: “One of Harworth’s key strategic objectives is accelerating sales of its residential products. Waverley is a prime example of how we will achieve this. The scale and pace of transformation at Waverley demonstrates Harworth’s unique skill set in regenerating former brownfield sites into inspiring places where people want to live and work.” Ed Catchpole, Associate Director for Yorkshire & Central, Harworth Group plc said: “Avant Homes is a trusted and long-standing partner of Harworth, and we are delighted to be working together again as we develop out Waverley Riverside. These new homes, combined with infrastructure improvements and the exciting development of a Marriott hotel at the site, will enhance amenities for local residents and employees, which will be further complemented by our Olive Lane development in the years ahead.”Humber leading the way in the digital sector as government minister visits Hull to launch the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership
A drive to improve the digital skills of thousands of people across the Humber is being launched today following match-funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
It comes as new figures reveal Hull and East Yorkshire’s tech sector is one of the fastest growing in the UK.
Tech Minister Chris Philp visited Hull today to formally launch a new Local Digital Skills Partnership, a new campaign aiming to equip people for the region’s digital jobs boom and ensure more residents can benefit from the thriving local tech sector.
New data from smarter job search engine Adzuna and Dealroom published today reveals the number of employees in Hull and East Yorkshire’s digital sector is expanding at eight per cent per year, making it the fastest growing region in the UK for digital jobs.
It follows a report published by DCMS which showed the region’s digital sector is expected to add an extra £1.6 billion to the economy every year by 2025 creating an additional 42,200 jobs.
The partnership – a coalition of local authorities, businesses and education providers – will make it easier for businesses and residents to identify gaps in their skills and access training on a range of topics from software development and data management to digital marketing.
Digital Minister Chris Philp said:
“Yorkshire and the Humber has massive potential to be a leading UK tech destination which will put rocket boosters on the region’s economy and help unlock new innovations that improve people’s lives.
“But we must make sure people have the skills and talents needed for these jobs of the future. Our Local Digital Skills Partnership will give residents and businesses the chance to be part of the digital revolution happening on their doorstep.”
Following a successful independent pilot, the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership has been match-funded by DCMS to continue its important work in the community.
Since 2018 DCMS has successfully run partnerships in seven other locations, including Lancashire, Chesire and Warrington and the West Midlands. Being part of the partnership means local councils can benefit from monthly networking events and sessions with industry, learning from leading skills programmes like Google Digital Garage and the Lloyds Bank Academy.
These initiatives have brought benefits including improved career opportunities for local people – including from groups typically underrepresented in the digital workforce – and a better understanding for businesses of the training provision available up and down the country.
Professor Rebecca Huxley-Binns, Chair of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership said:
“We were delighted to welcome the government Minister and DCMS colleagues to launch our Local Digital Skills Partnership. We are very proud of the partnership’s achievements to date and we thank the DCMS for their support. We look forward to continuing to address the digital skills challenges and opportunities in the Humber, with our stakeholders.”
The Leader of Hull City Council Daren Hale said:
“The Humber region has led the way in boosting digital skills and creating opportunities in the digital sector, so I’m pleased that the government has recognised the success of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership pilot. The council has continued to support the LDSP, sitting on its steering group to offer support and expertise to help shape the digital future of the city. The partnership has proven to be very valuable to the council and the local economy.”
James Newman OBE, the Chair of the HEY LEP said:
“The HEY LEP welcomes today’s announcement and associated funding from DCMS, which will enable us to continue the very important work of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership, whose main objective is to increase digital skills capabilities in the region. Maximising the Humber’s existing world class digital infrastructure, alongside accelerating our digital skills capabilities, are key pillars of the HEY LEP’s recently launched Economic Growth and Workforce Wellbeing Strategy. The Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership already plays a fundamental role in the delivery of the digital elements of this important strategy and we look forward to continuing to work with our many partners and stakeholders from the business, education and technical sectors to ensure successful delivery of this programme and on our commitment to the region and to government.”
Neil Cavill, Head of Business Improvement at Arco, said:
“We are delighted to be involved in the launch of the Humber Local Digital Skills Partnership.
“The event was a great opportunity to celebrate the amazing work being done across the Humber to promote digital skills and to look ahead to what will be needed in this region to support careers in this area of work in the future.
“At Arco, we are committed to supporting our colleagues to further develop their digital skills and to nurture the next generation of digital talent through our Future Experts programme, which gives apprenticeship opportunities to students from Ron Dearing UTC.”
Floods minister visits Hull to officially open new £42m defences
Floods minister Rebecca Pow was in Hull today to officially open the new flood defences along the Humber.
The £42million Humber: Hull Frontages flood scheme was officially opened by the minister, along with Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency.
As part of the Environment Agency project, the tidal flood defences along the Humber estuary have been upgraded, providing greater protection to 113,000 homes and businesses, as well as local infrastructure and other public amenities.
Construction work by contractors BMMJV, BAM Nuttall and Mott Macdonald started in the St Andrew’s Quay Retail Park in January 2019, and major works were finished in December 2021.
The new defences cover about 7km of shoreline, from St Andrew’s Quay Retail Park to the west of the city, through St Andrew’s Dock, William Wright Dock, Albert Dock, Humber Quays, Victoria Pier and Victoria Dock Village to the east.
The Environment Agency says the new defences reduce flood risk to a 0.5 per cent chance in any given year.
Ms Pow said: “This scheme – supported by £39million of Defra funding – is a crucial step forward in helping to prevent a repeat of the devastating flooding in 2013 and ensuring that Hull is resilient to the effects of climate change.
“We have invested more in Yorkshire and the Humber than any other region – with over £146m allocated for investment in new flood and coastal defences this year, and over half a billion pounds invested since 2015.”
Working with Hull City Council and residents of Victoria Dock Village, the Environment Agency chose materials and a colour palette that would blend the new defences into the existing landscape.
Glazed panels in the flood walls maintain estuary views from the footpaths running parallel to the estuary, which form part of the Trans Pennine Trail, as well as from homes in Victoria Dock Village.
Councillor Daren Hale, leader of Hull City Council, spoke about the vital importance of the flood defences at the official opening at The Deep Business Centre.
He said: “The opening of these state-of-the-art flood defences is critical to the regeneration of Hull.
“Since 2007, the city has seen more than £200m invested in its flood infrastructure, born out of the success of the Living with Water partnership and Hull being a Global Water Resilient City. The investment along the Humber frontage is arguably the most important, given the effects of climate change and Hull being the second most flood-prone city in the UK.
“We are delighted with the way the Environment Agency’s design team has worked with Hull City Council, as well as local residents and businesses, to ensure the scheme complements, in particular, the Fruit Market and Victoria Dock areas of the city. The clever use of brick cladding and screens retains the linkage between the city and the water in a way that responds well to the existing environment.
“The investment in flood defences has been central in enabling both Siemens Gamesa and Reckitt to invest in the city, and also to the regeneration of the Fruit Market and the city centre.”
The Humber: Hull Frontages project connects with the flood defence improvements built along the Humber by East Riding of Yorkshire Council; east of Hull at Paull and to the west of the city at Hessle.
Funding for the scheme came from Defra’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid, with a £3million contribution from Highways England (now National Highways).
The scheme was part of the Environment Agency’s previous six-year programme of capital flood defence schemes, which has successfully protected more than 314,000 homes since 2015.
Ms Howard Boyd said: “This week, the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] released its most severe warning yet about the impacts of climate change, but our response should not only be about avoiding shocks, threats and risks, it’s about creating a fairer, greener, more prosperous future.
“The Humber: Hull Frontage scheme provides better protection for thousands of homes, businesses, and agricultural land. This should generate additional investor confidence and provide greater economic prosperity and job security in the area. I am particularly pleased that, as we relied on local labour for construction, this opened up opportunity for apprentices to work on the scheme and find full time employment.”
RFS strengthens team with new marketing manager
Ripon Farm Services (RFS), the agricultural machinery supplier, has appointed Sophie Allanby as marketing manager.
Sophie grew up on an arable farm just outside Malton and was actively involved with her local young farmers’ club.
She has a first class honours Business degree from York St John’s University and has been in the marketing world for the past ten years in varying roles, including at the Castle Howard Estate as communications executive from 2018-2021.
She said: “This is a tremendously exciting opportunity for me. RFS are one of the most respected companies in the farming sector in the UK and I am proud to be joining a close-knit and talented team.
“It will be my responsibility to develop and implement a dynamic marketing strategy that builds upon the substantial progress that Ripon Farm Services have made over the past two years.”
Richard Simpson, commercial director of RFS, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sophie to our team. We are looking forward to her contribution as we develop our marketing strategy and grow our business. She arrives at RFS at a significant time in our development, as we look to build on our successes of the past, enhance our relationship with customers old and new and raise our profile across the region.”
First new office development to complete in Leeds tops out
CEG welcomed the leader of Leeds City Council and other stakeholders in the city to its flagship Globe Point development yesterday (3/3/22) for a topping out ceremony.
BAM Construction commenced the development in May 2021 on behalf of CEG and is set for full completion this summer.
Providing next generation workspace for over 400 people, the 37,800 sq ft seven-storey building on Globe Road is striking, with its flat iron design providing spectacular views across the city from the roof terrace gardens.
Responding to occupiers’ expectations and the new ways of working, Globe Point will deliver some of the highest quality workspace in Leeds, along with ground floor break-out space and café kitchen.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “This is a really exciting milestone, not only for the Globe Point development, but also for the regeneration of Leeds’s Temple district and the wider South Bank area.
“High-quality projects like Globe Point are a sign of the strength of the Leeds economy as we continue our recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and redouble our efforts to deliver jobs and opportunities for all. It promises to be a worthy and very impressive addition to our city’s skyline.”
Globe Point will be the first new build office to complete in Leeds City Centre this year and is the first of CEG’s developments to complete within the Temple district of the city. CEG is currently managing the transformation of Drapers Yard, on Marshall Street, for Labcorp’s life science centre of excellence. The new headquarter facility will boast a new façade, roof top amenity space with a green, sedum roof and new landscaping and planting.
CEG, alongside Leeds City Council and other stakeholders, is bringing forward further development across the Temple district, with the potential to provide some 4 million sq ft of high quality accommodation with Temple Works at its heart as a cultural centrepiece.
Nick Lee, director at CEG, said: “Globe Point will deliver much needed new workspace within Leeds City Centre. The quality of the building and the approach to people and sustainability led design will set the tone for future developments within Temple. We are really excited about the buzz in Temple and the number of people living and working in the area continues to grow, supporting the fantastic bars, restaurants and other amenities, including our events space partnership with Chow Down.”
Urban tree experts brought in to support £11.7m Queens Gardens redevelopment
A company with a track-record of delivering urban tree planting projects all over the world has been appointed to deliver specialist tree planting within the £11.7m Queens Gardens redevelopment.
Founded in 1992, GreenBlue Urban was set up to research and provide solutions for assisting trees and helping them become established in urban spaces.
Councillor Daren Hale, leader of Hull City Council and portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “The tree planting is a hugely important component of the Queens Gardens project.
“The improvement in variety, foliage and layout is vital in creating the outstanding urban green space that we will all soon be able to enjoy.
“We know how important it is to get tree planting right. The current perimeter of the park has suffered and has been damaged due to trees that were not planted correctly, or were planted without consideration for how they would grow and develop; this has damaged not only the trees, but also boundary walls.
“By bringing on board a company with such an exceptional track-record in delivering and planting trees in urban spaces, we will avoid making the mistakes of the past and can be confident that we are delivering an exciting project for both the short and the long-term future of the city.”
GreenBlue Urban is the UK’s market leader in specialist tree pit products. The company will supply and install 13 urban tree pit systems within the Queens Gardens redevelopment. These systems will be located on the northern and southern edges of the development and will prevent trees from damaging the new perimeter and boundary walls of the park.
A wide variety of trees will be planted elsewhere in the gardens, and the wider city centre, as part of the Queens Gardens redevelopment.
The first stage of works will see the planting of the first Metasequoia tree – a species of conifer known as redwoods. Metasequoia trees are fast-growing and can grow to 30 metres in height.
The tree is one of the dozens of trees, of various size and majority, that will be planted during the project.
Some of the trees within the planting scheme are on the endangered species list.
The first stage of the £11.7m Queens Gardens redevelopment has begun and is expected to be completed in June 2022. The second and final phase of the works will begin this summer, with completion expected at the end of 2023.
The Queens Gardens refurbishment is an integral part of the Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City project as it will link the Hull Maritime Museum to the North End Shipyard – which will be the new home of the historic Arctic Corsair. The shipyard is being transformed into a new visitor attraction, which will tell its rich story for the first time.
Six more leading businesses join forces with Hull’s employer-led school
Leading businesses aiming to shape their future workforces have partnered with Hull’s Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC) to equip students with highly sought-after industry skills.
The Ofsted Outstanding-rated school has a host of Founding Partners, Major Partners and Partners comprising of many of the region’s foremost companies.
Now, six more businesses have committed to opening up further exciting opportunities for students and helping them gain key industry-standard knowledge and skills as they prepare for their future careers.
Global energy company Equinor, asset integrity engineering company IRISNDT, managed IT service provider and cyber security specialists Jupiter IT Solutions and specialist rural internet provider Quickline have become Major Partners. In addition, BACB Renewables and Pneumatic Engineering Ltd have become the employer-led school’s latest Partners.
Norwegian-based Equinor is the largest individual supplier of oil and gas to the UK and is investing heavily in low carbon and renewables solutions, particularly hydrogen and carbon capture, in the Humber.
It is responsible for Dogger Bank, which will be the world’s largest offshore windfarm, situated in the North Sea off the East Yorkshire coast and capable of powering 5% of the UK’s electricity demand. Hydrogen to Humber (H2H) Saltend, to the east of Hull, is its flagship project which aims to decarbonise Saltend Chemicals Park and kick-start a zero carbon Humber by producing hydrogen from natural gas in combination with carbon capture and storage.
Tanguy Cosmao, Equinor’s Project Director at H2H Saltend, said: “This could be the first project of its kind in the UK and, if it gets the go-ahead, we’ll need people to work on it, and we want young people to be familiar with the technologies involved.
“We’re keen to explore the potential to take on apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC and offer work placements as our workforce of the future in the energy sector. We’re really impressed by how Employer Partners can help to shape the curriculum and have active involvement and we’re proud to be a Major Partner.”
IRISNDT is an international blend of asset integrity engineering and non-destructive testing (NDT) companies providing a range of engineering, inspection, testing, heat treatment and software services to the renewable, petro/chemical, oil/gas, utility and transportation industries across the globe.
The business employs 1,500 employees in Canada, Australia, the USA and the UK, including offices at Saltend Chemicals Park in Hull and in Immingham.
IRISNDT, which took on one apprentice from Ron Dearing UTC last year, plans to take on a further two this year. It will also provide equipment, live demonstrations and technicians to guide students on industry knowledge and skills, and offer work placements.
Director Lee Richardson said: “We need to invest in youngsters coming through and give them an insight on how our business and the inspection industry works. If you can give someone a head start coming out of school, they’ve already got the fundamentals in place. We’re really looking forward to seeing how the partnership develops.”
Hull-based Jupiter IT Solutions provides managed IT support services and complete IT infrastructure expertise to businesses across Hull and the Humber.
Infrastructure Director Dan Gladstone said the business is helping to enhance IT modules studied by the UTC students and further equip them with the latest skills to give them the edge in the industry.
He said: “We’d like to take on trainees from the UTC and we’re looking at what skills we’d like them to have. If we pass on these skills and knowledge to them, it will help the IT industry as a whole to provide a better service to their customers.
“Ron Dearing UTC’s approach is unique and also about culture, hard work, mindset and attitude. It’s fantastic to work with the school.”
Hessle-based Quickline connects rural communities with superfast broadband in East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire, as well as North and West Yorkshire. It has grown from just five staff to more than 100 since 2008, with further plans to continue considerable growth this year.
Claire Hickey, HR Director at Quickline, said: “Ron Dearing UTC looks at education differently and does everything it can to prepare students for work. Fortunately for us, this includes focusing on the engineering and technical skills we’ll need as a business in the future.
“We’re growing quickly and feel the partnership will benefit Quickline, the UTC and the local area. We’re excited to be able to input into the curriculum and projects, supporting Ron Dearing to develop stars of the future.”
BACB, based at Ergo in Hessle, are renewables consultants and holistic decarbonisation experts, providing services including solar, battery, heat pumps and biomethane and hydrogen fuels.
The company, which aims to reduce carbon and costs and drive the green economy, has an extensive background in the energy and renewables sector and Business Development Director Ciaran Sharpe said he plans to offer work placements and potentially apprenticeships to Ron Dearing UTC students.
He said: “Ron Dearing UTC is very forward thinking and we’re honoured to be a Partner. The students have state-of-the-art technology at their fingertips and the school has links with so many fantastic businesses, which is the future of teaching.
“We’re looking forward to bringing further realism to renewables through the curriculum.”
Pneumatic Engineering Ltd, based in Brandesburton, East Yorkshire, has specialised in the sales, installation, maintenance and repairs of small, medium and large compressed air systems since 1992, supplying installations for the water industry and automotive and renewable energy sectors.
Managing Director Martyn Hill, who began his career as a mechanical and pneumatic apprentice, said he hopes to offer work experience to Ron Dearing UTC students as well as opening up potential apprenticeship or paid employment opportunities.
Martyn said: “I had a very good engineering education and I want to give young people similar opportunities to those I had. Ron Dearing UTC is preparing its students for what it will be like when they enter the workplace and they treat them like adults, so they know what to expect.”
Ron Dearing UTC’s Major Partners and Partners develop and deliver employer-led projects, provide work experience placements and lead the UTC’s careers information, advice and guidance programme. Major Partners also play a key role in the development of the school’s unique employer-engaged curriculum, while both Partners and Major Partners contribute financially to the school.
Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal and Head of Engineering at Ron Dearing UTC, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome so many new Major Partners and Partners to share their skills and expertise with our students.
“These industries are constantly growing and evolving and the more we can provide our students with the latest technology and knowledge, the more chance they have of securing the careers and paths they aspire to pursue in the future.”
Ron Dearing UTC has recently been named as the country’s top performing school or college for the percentage of students moving on to apprenticeships following sixth form. It is ranked number one out of more than 4,500 schools and colleges in England in the Department for Education’s latest destinations data for Year 13 leavers.
