FORMER Education Secretary Lord Baker congratulated students at Didcot’s University Technical College for taking the first step towards their future careers.

Lord Baker is joint founder and chairman of the Baker Dearing Trust, the organisation behind the University Technical College concept. He visited the £10.5 million college at Great Western Park as the school approached the end of its first half term.

Speaking to all 140 students Lord Baker said: “You have made a courageous decision to leave your school and join this new UTC.

“In doing so you have made an important start on building your future career. Your school represents a different form of education, one that is very related to the world of work.”

Lord Baker joined students for lunch, before going on a tour of the building.

Following the visit on October 22, Elliot Harvey, 14, from Didcot, said: “Lord Baker encouraged me to believe that anything is possible.”

Charis Sung, 14, from Benson, near Wallingford, added: “It was really inspiring to hear from the man who created the idea of the school we are studying in now.”

Lord Baker joined principal Owain Johns and Lee Nicholls, from lead sponsor Activate Learning, for a tour of the second phase of the college, which opens next month.

This phase include cryogenics and microscopy laboratories, a laser room and electrical and mechanical engineering workshops for robotics and rapid prototyping.

The UTC is the county’s first, and offers science and engineering education for pupils aged 14 to 19.