David Harbourne first stumbled across Oamaru more or less by chance while on a short visit to New Zealand from his home in Yorkshire, England.He discovered a town that was built from scratch in the second half of the nineteenth century. He quite accidently discovered the “Old Town”, a part of Oamaru that is a time capsule built from gleaming limestone: one intricately carved classical building following another, each hinting at a half-forgotten history of wealth and optimism.

The former Secretary of State for Education, Lord Baker, crossbench peer Lord Dearing and industrialist Sir Anthony Bamford shared a vision. They imagined a new type of secondary school that would prepare young people for careers in science, technology and engineering.University Technical Colleges (UTCs) offer a curriculum linked to key sectors of the economy and deliver it in partnership with employers, using real-world projects and industry-standard equipment. UT...