PUPILS at UTC Swindon are looking forward to bright futures after winning apprenticeships with the region’s top engineering firms

The students, currently sitting exams for a BTEC level 3 in engineering at the technical college, will go straight onto their paid placements after getting their results in August.

Ben Upton and Kyle Connelly will start a three-year programme at Batten & Allen as apprentice tool makers.

Vince Badminton, Senior Manufacturing Manager at Batten & Allen, praised the two students for their ability, saying: “We have been very impressed with Ben and Kyle throughout the application process. They have shown excellent technical skills and understanding of our business, alongside great enthusiasm. They are a credit to UTC Swindon and we look forward to welcoming them to the Batten & Allen family in September.”

Year 11 student Finley Belcher has won a place on the prestigious Diamond Light Source programme.

The non-for-profit company, based in Didcot, hosts the UK’s national synchrotron, a giant microscope which accelerates electrons near to the speed of light to study the molecular makeup of subject matter, from fossils to jet engines and viruses.

After a year at the Oxford Advance Skills training centre Finley may even get a chance to take a placement at the European Nuclear Research Facility (CERN) in Geneva.

Principal Jon Oliver congratulated the students on their efforts, saying: “All of our students have worked hard to gain the skills that make them stand out to future employers. We are delighted that they will now be embarking on fulfilling careers with excellent prospects for progression. We wish them every success.

“Working closely with partners in the engineering sector means that we have a thorough understanding of the skills and characteristics that employers are looking for.”

UTC Swindon, on Bristol Street, is a technical college aimed at 14 – 19-year-olds which aims to build strong partnerships with companies to prepare pupils for the workplace after education.