Peel Ports, the UK’s second largest ports group, is backing the UK’s only Low Carbon and SuperPort University Technical College, which has just entered into its consultation period.
The port group hopes that the University Technical College – UTC – which is due to open in 2014, will give young people in the Liverpool City Region the specific skills they need to find employment in the SuperPort and Low Carbon industries.
It is estimated that the region’s transformational SuperPort plans, which include £1.8bn of investment in new infrastructure projects across the region and are backed by industry leaders like the Stobart Group and Peel Ports, will generate up to 35,000 jobs over a twenty year period.
Plans include Peel Ports’ development of a series of multimodal logistics hubs along the Manchester Ship Canal, as well as a new in-river container terminal at the Port of Liverpool, Liverpool2, which is due to be operational in 2015.
Aimed at 14 to 19 year olds, the UTC will deliver a mix of academic and technical education specifically geared around the engineering and logistics skills necessary for the low carbon economy and SuperPort industries in Liverpool.
As well as Peel Ports, partners behind the UTC include Liverpool Community College and Liverpool John Moores University, together with the City Council, the Eldonians Group, Laing O’Rourke, Arup, Balfour Beatty, EON, Mersey Travel, and a number of other high profile employers.
The involvement of universities and employers means that students will benefit from work placements, guest speakers, an employer-led curriculum, as well as involvement in real life projects. The new UTC will also run longer term times and operate business hours to help students prepare for the world of work.
Howard Sloane, Group Head of HR for Peel Ports said: “The whole region stands to benefit enormously from growth in the SuperPort and low carbon industries, and Peel Ports’ investment in Liverpool2 and the developments along the Manchester Ship Canal are a fundamental part of that future.
“Investing in our next generation workforce is essential for what will be a SuperPort of global significance. The Liverpool Low Carbon and SuperPort UTC is a genuinely exciting opportunity for local young people because it will allow them to access the specific skills and qualifications they need to pursue successful careers within these growth industries.”
Elaine Bowker, Principal of Liverpool Community College, said: “The SuperPort and sustainable industry will be crucial to the future success of Liverpool’s economy. The University Technical College will play a vital role in this success, supplying the skills for these industries, helping fuel growth and ensuring that it’s local people that benefit from the jobs created.”
The UTC would give pupils hands-on, practical work experience, technical training and also offer traditional GCSEs and A-level qualifications.
The consultation period for the UTC runs until the 22nd March 2013, and residents and employers are being asked to submit their views on the plans for the scheme.
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