Could HS2 make travel worse in Warrington?

The HS2 rail development takes another turn this week as some northern towns, both sides of the Pennines, are starting to get cold feet. Over in Yorkshire Wakefield will have no station under the development, but all the hassle of the track passing close-by.

Warrington, whose current rail connections are fair, could find that by not being served with the new development, finds its own lines and services downgraded.

The build of HS2 is one thing, the use is another. In terms of the build the strong civil engineering skills of Warrington companies will play a significant part in the development, boosting the local economy.

However once the build is finished a downgraded local service could be an outcome.

The scale of HS2 makes it a political battleground, with opposing parties battling for advantage over the contentious project.

So should Warrington move to oppose HS2 and lobby for an upgrade to existing services?

It would be cheaper, it would be quicker to build and it would directly benefit the town in use rather than indirectly through the network. It’s a tough call, but just like the track, a long way to go yet.

Professor Lawrence Bellamy is Associate Dean at the Warrington School of Management, University of Chester Warrington (Padgate) Campus.

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New University Technical College will give Warrington what it has been missing

The multi-million bid for the Warrington University Technical College has been successful. In September 2015 the first intake of students will be entering the brand new purpose-built building in the Stadium Quarter of Warrington.

 The UTC is sponsored by the University of Chester with strong support from Warrington Borough Council and local employers including Sellafield Ltd, Tenet, Nuvia and AMEC. Warrington-based companies need the technical skills that these new workers will have for their businesses to be successful.

 My own engineering education benefited from a mix of work experience, use of workshop facilities in a local college and laboratory provision at a polytechnic. I had to travel to access these. The UTC will make these elements accessible for 14-19 year olds in Warrington.

 It will give students a strong grounding in maths, science and English (expectations for academic standards are high) and specialist knowledge critical for the success of UK technology and engineering industry. As an employee of the university and an engineer it will give me immense pride to see this project take shape and students receive quality education of a type that simply has not been available before.

Professor Lawrence Bellamy is Associate Dean at the Warrington School of Management, University of Chester Warrington (Padgate) Campus.

STOP PRESS:

The Warrington School of Management is launching an exciting new business service that will include networking events and ‘Master Classes’ to help small and medium sized businesses grow. If you are interested in registering for more information, please send your details to Beth Morris at b.morris@chester.ac.uk

The Latest News from Warrington School of Management

In this issue:  Students visit Everton FC | A final year student says | Work placements | Business speakers Email not displaying correctly? View in your browser Business Management Newsletter - February 2014 Thank you for your interest in Business Management at the University of Chester. Whilst you are considering your options we aim to give you a flavour of our programme and the approach that we, the teaching team, take in guiding and supporting students through the process of becoming successful graduates. We have some interesting stories and snippets below to start the journey. Don’t forget that you can visit us to find out more at one of our forthcoming Applicant Days. Book your place now Students enjoy a Premier start to Warrington stay Business Management students recently visited Everton Football Club to experience first-hand the importance of connecting business theory and business practice and how this is applied in a dynamic, exciting environment. Read more A Final Year Student Says... "The Business tutors are second to none. They make sure you know exactly what is expected and help you every step of the way.   "Doing a Business Management course at the University of Chester has really opened my eyes to the amount of possibilities there are when I graduate."   Kayleigh Miller Employers meet undergraduates and get involved in classes... Business lecturers have been collaborating with the Department of Careers and Employability to bring in external speakers from industry to provide a ‘real-life’ perspective to curriculum delivery.  Hearing from employers gives students the chance to enhance their commercial awareness by gaining a ‘real-world’ view of their subject and an understanding of the challenges faced and the strategies used within the workplace. Hearing from a range of companies can also help broaden students’ awareness of career options after they graduate. Catherine Rawcliffe, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Enterprise Rent-A-Car tells us: "It is important for students to network and learn best practice from the world of work. Enterprise Rent-A-Car spend a lot of time with students at the University's Chester and Warrington Campuses. Across the academic year we have helped students develop employability skills and commercial awareness, which is invaluable to the students and helps them prepare skills needed for their career search and future career development. Enterprise Rent-A-Car have enjoyed building relationships with both students and staff. It is a great opportunity for us to spot talent, keep the talent pipeline open and, in turn, select the best people for our Management Trainee roles." Work Based Learning All students have a work placement as an integral part of their programme of study. Nauman Wasif, tells us: "I had a great time working with Oxfam for my Work Based Learning, and not only did I get an opportunity to observe management in practice, but I also came out with influential contacts and priceless learning experiences. It's a great opportunity for students to network with prospective employers and share experiences with people who've been in the industry for a long time whilst establishing long term relationships." Read More about Work Based Learning Applicant Days Book your place for one of our Applicant Days now and see for yourself what makes Chester so unique. Book Now Follow the Warrington School of Management Facebook Twitter Blog Website Follow the University of Chester Facebook Twitter Website Get in Touch: Course Enquiries: Andrea Harper 01925 534325 a.harper@chester.ac.uk General Enquiries: 01244 512800 visitus@chester.ac.uk If you no longer want to receive emails from us you can unsubscribe.