Speculation Over Site As Plans For New University Technical College Are Revealed

Published on: 26 Sep, 2014
Updated on: 30 Sep, 2014

A university technical college (UTC) costing £10 million, aimed at training the next generation of engineers and digital professionals may be built in Guildford.

Surrey County Council has announced a proposal for a brand new ‘careers college’ in Guildford catering for up to 800 students from Surrey, London and Hampshire. Details are contained in a Surrey County Council report.

Some of the redundant buildings at what was once Pond Meadow School in Park Barn.

Speculation as to where it might be sited has included the former Pond Meadow School site in Park Barn.

The county council report states that “UTCs are government funded schools that offer 14- to 18-year-olds an education that is geared to meet the needs of employers, with extensive experience of the work place and projects designed to meet employers’ needs.”

It adds: “The UTC is being developed through a close collaboration between Royal Holloway College, Guildford College of Further and Higher Education, Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership, local businesses, particularly CGI and British Aerospace, Guildford Education Partnership and Surrey County Council, working closely with local schools and communities.”

The Pond Meadow site has remained unused for a number of years, since the special needs school moved to new premises in Bellfields.

A story published on the Dragon In June, 2013, Campaign Gathers Pace To Transform Abandoned School Site Into Community Hub, reported on the then new Pond Meadow Partnership that had been formed with plans to transform the site into an exciting hub for community services and activities.

More to follow.

Responses to Speculation Over Site As Plans For New University Technical College Are Revealed

Jim Allen Reply

September 26, 2014 at 11:56 pm

Excellent News – it’s time they brought back proper training for engineers in the UK. It was 1993 when the last real apprenticeships occured.

At the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, over 5,000 received training between 1908 1993 and they took those qualities to NASA, helped in the “Space Race” and created the first UK UFO hoax in 1967, such were their skills.

If Guildford can become the New ‘Farnbrough’ the world will become a better place for it. Too often poorly trained holders of pieces of paper are put in charge of people with good solid basic skills.

Guildford and the world need properly trained engineers more so than lawyers, accountants, social workers and bankers.