Swindon enjoyed another Royal Visit this week as the town's University Technical College (UTC) was officially opened by HRH The Duke of York.
North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson was in attendance alongside local business representatives and sponsors of the College, including main sponsor Oxford Brookes University.
A new concept in Education, the £10 million UTC is based in part of what was once Swindon's Great Western Railway and specialises in teaching engineering and technical skills to students aged 14-19. It opened its doors to the first set of students in September, and already there are almost 140 students who have taken the decision to attend.
Prince Andrew originally visited the site earlier this year whilst it was still under construction, and was delighted to visit and see the finished building.
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "I am incredibly proud that Swindon can boast one of the first UTCs in the Country, and that we are leading the way in this new concept of education. It is so important that we offer as many different opportunities for our young people so that they can determine their own future. Here, you have a number of students who have made the brave decision to leave their schools and learn a valuable trade that will hopefully set them up for future employment. The UTC is a wonderful addition to our town and offers a bright future for our young people. It also honours our fantastic engineering heritage in Swindon and will undoubtably contribute to producing our country's next wave of engineers, technicians and industrialists."
