With extensive backing from Genix Healthcare Limited and Sparkle Dental Labs, a fantastic new dental laboratory is being incorporated into the UTC Bolton structure that will allow students to gain essential practical experience. Students will be able to learn how to make dentures, bridges, crowns and orthodontic appliances, among other things, giving them a unique start to their careers. Their practical work will map directly to their academic studies in GCSEs and A Levels.
Students at UTC Bolton will have the chance to develop the expertise, employability skills and knowledge needed to become future dentists, clinicians, dental technicians, dental nurses and hygienists.
What are UTCs?
UTCs are government-funded schools that offer a new pathway to education for 14-19 year olds and have been developed in response to the needs of industry and present skill gaps[i].
UTCs integrate technical, practical and academic learning in an environment where students can thrive and develop the abilities that industry requires. To achieve this UTCs focus on one or two technical specialisms where there is a shortage of skills, for example engineering, manufacturing, health sciences, product design or digital technology. They then work with employers and a local university to develop and deliver the curriculum. This includes at least 40 per cent of time dedicated to design and applied work, working in teams and problem solving.
Working with a university and employers, UTCs are able to provide essential academic education alongside the more technical aspects. Students benefit from the latest research, access to specialist facilities and are instructed by industry experts. They also take part in employer-led projects that develop and enhance their technical skills and creative thinking.
UTCs are smaller than traditional secondary schools and typically take around 600 students. They don’t charge fees, making them accessible . The same curriculum is delivered in UTCs as schools/sixth form but teaching and learning is done through university and employer engagement via projects set in a technical context1.
The number of UTCs opening is growing year on year and by 2016 it is estimated that over 30,000 students will be able to benefit from these new technical educational pathways.
UTC Bolton
The UTC Bolton is the first UTC to be built on a university campus, this is hoped to provide a clear line of sight from GCSE to PhD and prepare students for both employment and university life. Students will benefit from links to the university’s facilities and the Bolton Education Zone, along with the advanced knowledge of the leading academics, practitioners and specialists who work there. Specialist laboratories in UTC Bolton include:
Dentistry
Pharmacy and Medicine
Assisted Health Technologies (Prosthetics)
Electronics & Telematics
Robotics
Energy & Fluids
Engineering Ergonomics
Over £100 million has already been invested in Bolton’s Education Zone to provide new educational facilities, and with the development of the UTC, an additional £10 million will allow for further development.
The University of Bolton will develop and manage the UTC with the help of many local businesses and organisations. Through such employer involvement, UTC Bolton will be able to deliver academic rigour set in a technical context.
The teaching year at the UTC Bolton will comprise of five terms of eight weeks and with longer school days (running from 8.45am to 5.15pm) five days a week, core subjects, specialist and technical studies, and project based working will all be undertaken.
Genix Healthcare and Sparkle Dental Labs
Sponsors of this brand new centre include Genix Healthcare Limited and Sparkle Dental Labs who have worked closely with the University of Bolton to develop a fantastic dental laboratory for students. This brand new lab will feature state-of-the-art equipment and act as a training academy for individuals to learn the necessary skills needed to pursue their chosen careers.
The University of Bolton and the UTC trust is very proud to be working with Genix Healthcare and Sparkle Dental Labs in transforming the lives of the young people of Bolton and to help them in their pursuit of a worthwhile profession.
Commenting on the UTC, Mustafa Mohammed, CEO of Genix Healthcare and Sparkle Dental Labs, said: “UTC Bolton is a pioneer on many fronts. It is the first UTC that is truly an integral part of the University campus set in the grounds of the University. This is where colleagues and I will work with academic staff and teachers to ensure the learning is not only academically rigorous, but is also contextualised in developing practical and applied knowledge. Secondly, this is the only school in England that has a dental laboratory where GCSE and A Level students will read science subjects in conjunction with the making of dentures, carrying out fillings and teeth extraction. The specially designed equipment will give students well regarded work experience to enable them to succeed in the future.”