Aylesbury students get 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to travel to China and Thailand through Turing Scheme

Students in Aylesbury have the 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to visit Thailand and China through the Turing Scheme.

Bucks University Technical College (UTC) is one of 412 applications submitted to the Turing Scheme and the only UTC to have been approved.

In a first for Aylesbury, Bucks UTC students aged over 16 will have a unique, ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity.

The Turing Scheme is the government’s initiative to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world.

It aims to develop ‘Global Britain’ by supporting UK organisations from higher education, vocational education, training and school sectors in giving their students life-changing experiences to study or work abroad.

The proposed Turing activities will take students’ specialist subjects to a new level.

Students studying Computing will experience manufacturing research and development in the major IT manufacturing hub in Bangkok, Thailand.

Meanwhile, Building Studies students will look at construction techniques in Beijing, China. The hosts in both cities are major providers of vocational IT Education and Construction Engineering.

Sarah Valentine (Principal) learned that the Bucks UTC application had been accepted in August, and the trips were launched to students on September 24, with students due to complete their visits in 2022.

Sarah Valentine said: “We want our students to experience the short-term placements in the Asia Business Hubs of Bangkok and Beijing.

"They will witness the energy of Asia and the vast wealth and great disparity of Asian society.

"We want to inspire them and their future destinations, to gaining a place on a degree apprenticeship or university place focussed on technical careers in the UK and abroad."

Bucks UTC have successfully run a number of international visits in previous years.

This experience enhances student motivation, independence, aspirations and understanding of international cultures, giving them a significant advantage when moving on to further study, apprenticeships or employment.

Bucks UTC is holding open days for those interested in joining from September 2022, the first is on Saturday, October 16, and the second is on Thursday, December 2.