The college opened in 2013 with 140 students. By 2016, this number had risen to 450.
Every element of the college is designed to prepare young people for working life, from longer classroom days to a smart dress code and laptops for all students.
The UTC’s relationship with Cisco began at a meeting for local businesses held by MP for Reading East, Rob Wilson.
Cisco’s project team, comprising technology and education specialists, worked with the UTC and the Baker Dearing Education Trust to create an IT roadmap that complemented the overall UTC model and supported Reading’s specific brief.
A complicated project with multiple engineering requirements, Cisco delivered a robust networking and infrastructure including Cisco routers, switches, racks, Telepresence video conferencing facilities and a secure Wi-Fi connection for instant access to the UTC’s online resources.
In addition, Cisco supported the development of two computer rooms and a Cisco lab for students to complete the CCNA part 1 qualification.