Navy News
Direct from the front-line, the official newspaper of the Royal Navy, Navy News, brings you the latest news, features and award winning photos every month.
The prestigious annual award ceremony, held on Wednesday 18th November at HMS Nelson, at His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth, aimed to recognise the outstanding performance of UTC students in a range of academic fields and to inspire young people to find out more about employment and apprenticeship opportunities in STEM through local employers.
The event celebrated the achievements of young awardees, with UTC students William Doe and Sanuli Karunaratne respectively winning the Physics Award and English Award, both sponsored by the Royal Navy.
Upon receiving his award, William said: “I very much enjoy physics, and I hope this will help me fulfil my future aspirations, whether it be completing an engineering degree, or becoming an engineering officer in the Royal Navy.”
The event was further enriched by the presence of current and former college students, now pursuing apprenticeships and careers with other employer partners, who delivered a series of inspiring speeches throughout the evening. Among them, Leading Engineering Technician (LET) Sasha Cooper, a Royal Navy accelerated apprentice training at HMS Sultan, shared her journey and achievements whilst emphasising the positive impact of UTC in supporting her academic career.
An increasingly popular option for students aged 16 and above, the Royal Navy Accelerated Apprentice Scheme is a training programme designed to fast-track individuals into specialised roles within the Royal Navy to allow them to gain valuable skills and experience whilst earning money.
UTC always encouraged me to be involved in STEM activities, especially with the Royal Navy. We had a few Royal Navy guest speakers at UTC throughout the four years I was there. Being able to speak to people who were currently in the job and had experienced different or similar pathways really helped get an idea of what the Royal Navy was like.
Leading Engineering Technician (LET) Sasha Cooper
Sasha said: “I have been part of the Royal Navy Accelerated Apprentice Scheme for just over two years, allowing me to further develop any interests and skills I had at UTC and apply them to the workplace.
“UTC always encouraged me to be involved in STEM activities, especially with the Royal Navy. We had a few Royal Navy guest speakers at UTC throughout the four years I was there. Being able to speak to people who were currently in the job and had experienced different or similar pathways really helped get an idea of what the Royal Navy was like.”
The partnership between UTC and the Royal Navy has been instrumental since the school’s inception, with the Royal Navy managing the construction programme and playing a crucial role in its establishment when it first opened in September 2017.
Since then, the Royal Navy has supported and guided the school’s activities as an official Executive Employer Partner, contributing to student projects, training and raising awareness about the range of career opportunities available to students.
The evening at HMS Nelson was coordinated as a fundraising event for a newly formed charity, the ‘Wessex STEM Foundation’, which will have the primary goal to support STEM outreach activity for young people across the local area.
Those interested in supporting the charity can contact Charles Parker at UTC Portsmouth [email protected].
Direct from the front-line, the official newspaper of the Royal Navy, Navy News, brings you the latest news, features and award winning photos every month.