A different way of learning

Ron Dearing UTC (University Technical College) is a school that means business. It provides its students with a unique, employer-led education that gives them the edge in terms of higher education and employment opportunities and fast-tracks them into exciting and lucrative careers. The school’s hashtag is #gettheedge – offering outstanding education in order to equip students in the best way possible for the future – giving them the edge in their specialist fields.

Ron Dearing UTC specialises in the Digital, Creative and Engineering sectors. It is different from traditional schools because of its Employer Partners.

Employer Partners help to design and implement a curriculum that gives students the skills required to be the next employable workforce – skills enhanced by extending students’ theoretical understanding and the development of their personal and technical skills in a real work environment.

Such Partners also enable Ron Dearing to invest in the latest technology, so students have the best possible chance of going out into industry and making a difference to the future. That’s where Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal at Ron Dearing UTC, believes the partnership with Fujitsu is crucial: “It’s all about pushing the boundaries of education and the implementation of brand new technology into teaching”.

As a newly opened UTC, Ron Dearing UTC needed to ensure that its technology was fit for purpose, especially in the rollout of workstations for VR and design. Fujitsu laptops, workstations and technical support offered the power and performance to provide a technological edge.

Hugh Boughton, Ron Dearing UTC’s Network Manager, believes the adoption of the brand new technology is fundamental if students are to realise their potential: “When we first opened we made the decision to invest heavily in high end equipment. And we made that decision because we didn’t want to hold anyone back”.

Jensen adds: “We need to be up-to-date with the technology, but also the software that we need to run for our students. Partnering with Fujitsu means we have that reliability. We have the functioning power that we can use for the students in the classroom. The future is a very fastmoving beast. And now we’re as fast, if not faster, than that”.

By using Fujitsu technology, Ron Dearing UTC has achieved its goals for the first year for student attainment, retention and outcomes whilst continuing to attract new students to the point that it is now in the fortunate position of being over-subscribed.

The UTC continues to invest in Fujitsu technology and has bought Fujitsu laptops for both students and teachers, as well as digital technology & mechatronics workstations.

Jensen views the partnership with Fujitsu as a vital ingredient to the future success of the UTC: “The future of Ron Dearing is looking very, very good. It’s all about pushing the boundaries of education. Looking at how we can instil more of what we do with our employers and our projects and the implementation of brand-new technology into teaching. And how we can grow that more and more. Not just at Ron Dearing UTC, but at other UTCs across the country”.