We’re incredibly proud of UTC Portsmouth student Kam, who recently attended the Junior Qualified Aerospace Instructor's Course (JQAIC). As part of the programme, Kam explored key elements of the official QAIC course, including an introduction to electronics using Arduinos and breadboards to light LEDs and sound piezos. Thanks to the skills and confidence gained through our Programmable Systems curriculum, Kam excelled - so much so that he was invited back to take on the role of DS, where he’ll now support and instruct others, just as he was supported himself. A brilliant example of technical ability, communication, and responsibility in action. Well done, Kam! #UTCProgression #STEMHabits #FutureReady #ProgrammableSystems

Some of our students have recently taken part in the @earniversity.io Fast Track Challenge - a five-week programme designed to coach young people in modern money-earning systems and how to promote their newly developed skills. Throughout the challenge, students demonstrated key UTC Portsmouth STEM habits including resilience, creative problem solving, responsibility, and communication skills. A special congratulations to Safi, who was awarded the Top Achiever trophy, and Meghan, who received the Community Leader award. Well done to all involved! #STEM #Achievement #STEMHabits

As part of our Training programme, a group of Year 12 students on our NHS Project Pipeline - delivered in partnership with @portsmouth_hospitals - had the opportunity to go behind the scenes at Queen Alexandra Hospital. Guided by specialist medical staff, students explored key areas of radiography, including CT, MR and X-Ray. They learned about the physics behind the technology, how it’s used in modern healthcare, and how innovation continues to shape clinical practice. We’re incredibly grateful to the team at QA who gave up their time to inspire and inform the next generation of STEM professionals. Opportunities like this are only possible thanks to our dedicated Employer Partners, helping our students see their studies come to life in real-world settings. #EmployerPartners #STEMEducation #NHSCareers #Radiography

Today, our staff and students have been Wearing It Green in support of Mental Health Awareness Week. It’s just one of the many activities organised by our support team this week to encourage open conversations around mental wellbeing. From a wellbeing-themed book review competition to fundraising through 3D-printed keyrings, and sharing meditation tips – the week has been centred around looking after our mental health. Our dedicated staff are always here to support students, particularly during the pressures of exam season. But it’s not just students who are supported – our staff also benefit from access to mental health support. Mental health matters – it’s important to keep talking about it, and to reach out if you need support. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #LetsKeepTalking #MentalWellbeing #Support

This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week. Looking after our mental wellbeing is always important, especially as many students begin their exam period. And at UTC Portsmouth, we have a dedicated wellbeing team available to support students throughout the year. This week, we’ve planned a series of activities to encourage students to reflect on their mental health and to recognise the power and importance of community - the theme of this year’s campaign by the Mental Health Foundation. Students are reminded that they can always speak to our CSG team or any member of staff if they need support. Opening up about how we’re feeling is an important step in taking care of our wellbeing. For more information and further support, visit the Mental Health Foundation website: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #ThisIsMyCommunity #MentalWellbeing

Yesterday, we welcomed one of our Employer Partners, Waterman Aspen, to speak to our year 12 students about what it means to undertake a degree apprenticeship after sixth form. It was a pleasure to see two UTC Portsmouth Alumni, Aleksander Sokov and Rebecca Edwards, return to deliver the session, sharing their experiences both as former students and as current apprentices at Waterman Aspen. As part of our project pipeline, within our timetabled Training curriculum, Waterman Aspen is challenging year 12s to design an engineered solution for bridges that allow for pedestrian access on Portsmouth's Eastern Road. This session gave our students the opportunity to ask questions, gain insight into real-world engineering pathways, and engage directly with experts in relation to their ongoing project work. Industry engagements like these are a vital part of our Training programme at UTC Portsmouth, giving students the opportunity to connect classroom learning with industry practice, and see STEM in the workplace. #STEM #EmployerPartner #Engineering #ProjectWork #Apprenticeship

We’re excited to announce the winner of our Creature Creation Competition - Mia, a talented Year 11 student from the local area. Mia’s entry stood out for its originality, detailed design, and the imaginative backstory behind her creature. Her work showed exceptional creativity and thought, making her a worthy winner of this year’s competition. We were so impressed by the standard of entries across all year groups that we’ve selected 13 runners-up whose designs really captured our attention. You can view their brilliant creations in the images below. Mia will receive an art set to support her creative journey, and both she and our 13 runners-up will receive a book featuring a collection of their creature designs. A huge thank you to everyone who took part - the imagination and effort shown was outstanding. We can’t wait to see what you all come up with next time. #CreatureCreation #Art #STEM #Winners

As part of our Comic Con week, we hosted the Minecraft Big Build today in one of our computer suites. Running all day, our students were given the opportunity to log onto Minecraft.edu and full creative freedom to create whatever their imaginations could dream up! We've had working rocket launchers, incredible buildings and even a giant chicken jockey statue. A brilliant way to end our Comic Con week long celebration. #STEM #Minecraft #BigBuild #Creativity