STROUD’S MP joined former education secretary Lord Baker on a visit to SGS Berkeley Green UTC.

The pair visited the college on Friday, December 2 to meet a group of students who had been working on the development of smart electronic bikes.

SGS Berkeley Green UTC is a STEM specialist school offering traditional academic subjects alongside technical qualifications in Engineering, Digital Technologies and Cyber Security.

The smart electronic bike theme was part of an employer led project for the students, headed up by engineering firm MOOG.

Students were asked to develop a prototype of the bike considering appropriate design, materials and technology before presenting their ideas to their client.

Lord Baker and Siobhan Baillie MP spoke to the students about the employer project and observed some of the presentations.

Lord Baker, chair of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, said: “I was delighted to visit SGS Berkeley Green UTC with Siobhan Ballie. 

“Students at this UTC have a unique experience of engineering and digital skills and working in teams. 

“I am very proud that this UTC has an excellent record in sending students to fantastic apprenticeships and university places.”

Siobhan Baillie MP said: “It was an honour to join Lord Baker in visiting and meeting with students.

“He has dedicated his career to improving technical education so it was fantastic to hear him tell local students how proud he was of them.

“We need more UTCs and Further Education colleges like SGS who are actively working with businesses to promote apprenticeships and in high-tech industries.

“This is how we compete internationally with world-class skills and promote the Prime Minister’s education for growth agenda.”

Headteacher Gareth Lister said: “Our focus on an employer-led curriculum allows students to apply the learning from the classroom into real world employer-led problems.

“This is another example of how the UTC curriculum allows students to develop not only their technical skills, but also the employability skills that puts them ahead of their peers in the job market.”

Lord Baker was education secretary from 1986 to 1989 in Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet and he was the co-founder of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, an educational trust set up to promote the establishment of University Technical Colleges in England.