UTC South Durham is celebrating another year of outstanding T Level results, achieving a 100 per cent pass rate as its Engineering and Manufacturing students prepare to take their next steps with some of the UK’s leading employers and Armed Forces.
Students from the Newton Aycliffe-based technical school and sixth form have secured higher apprenticeships and employment opportunities with major organisations including Nissan Motor Corporation, Amazon, Jacobs, Accenture, A-Tech Fabrications, BTS Facades & Fabrications, MSF and Bloochip.
Other students are beginning careers with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, highlighting the breadth of opportunities available to the latest UTC South Durham cohort.
The results come during a milestone year for UTC South Durham, which is celebrating its 10th year after being established in 2016 to provide specialist education in engineering and advanced manufacturing for young people aged 14 to 19.
Principal Tom Dower said: “We are incredibly proud of this group of young people and it has been a fantastic day, celebrating their success with them. Our T Level programme has been particularly successful with 100% pass rate and 50% gaining Distinctions (the equivalent of AAA grades at A-Level) which is far higher than the national average of 12%. Achieving such excellent results is fantastic, but what really matters is where those qualifications take our students next.
“To see them progressing into higher apprenticeships and careers with some of the biggest and most exciting employers in engineering, manufacturing and technology – as well as the Armed Forces – is hugely rewarding.
“I’m really going to miss this cohort; they have worked tirelessly, supported each other and embraced every opportunity available to them. It has been a genuine pleasure to watch them develop and I’m excited to see what they achieve next.
“For any young person in the North East who is passionate about engineering or manufacturing and wants to get a head start on their future career, UTC South Durham provides a very different and incredibly powerful route into industry.”
The latest results build on UTC South Durham’s strong record of progression. In Summer 2025, 35 per cent of Year 13 leavers progressed into apprenticeships, significantly above the Durham average of nine per cent and the national average of seven per cent. Many progressed directly into advanced and degree-level opportunities with leading employers.
The UTC also records exceptionally low levels of young people becoming NEET – not in education, employment or training – while its positive destination outcomes exceed 97 per cent.
UTCs were introduced by former Education Secretary Lord Baker to combine academic learning with high-quality technical education and meaningful employer partnerships from the age of 14. Nationally, more than 95 per cent of UTC leavers progress into positive destinations, including employment, apprenticeships and higher education.
UTC South Durham works closely with industry partners, including Hitachi, Gestamp and University of Sunderland, to ensure its curriculum reflects the skills employers need and offers students direct exposure to the world of work alongside qualifications including T Levels, A-levels and vocational courses.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
