A SPECIALIST technical college in Northwood, for students aged 14-19 interested in aviation engineering, has welcomed its first cohort of more than 100 students.

The new Heathrow Aviation Engineering UTC, which enrolled students in Year 10 and Year 12, will recruit 600 students over the next four years.

Bryan Berry, its principal, reported: ‘It’s been a fantastic week. Our first students have already been engaging with our employer partners.

“They’ve spent time touring RAF Northolt and British Airways’ component engineering site in Hayes and have been hearing about aerodynamics and aircraft structures at Brunel University.”

The college is one of 13 UTCs opening this month around the UK.

This new concept offers students the opportunity of combining academic, technical and practical skills.

Students study for their GCSE/A-levels alongside technical qualifications geared towards the UTC’s specialism, in this case, aviation engineering.

UTCs are being set up to bridge the skills gap for skilled technicians in the UK.