Standing out in the crowd
UTC Leeds
UTC Leeds has a bold vision to inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators. Located amongst a number of highly successful, competitive colleges, schools and academies, the challenge to secure strong student numbers has remained consistent since its formation.
Bringing together insight, strategy, storytelling and creative delivery, we have built awareness and transformed engagement to grow the college’s profile and secure positive student numbers, with applications converting into accepted offers increased from 39% to 92% over three years, alongside sustained digital engagement and a stronger, more recognisable brand.
UTC Leeds offers young people something different: academic learning combined with employer-led projects, industry partnerships and specialist STEM education.
The challenge was making that difference clear.
In a competitive education landscape, prospective students and their families needed to understand not only what they offer, but why it could be the right choice for them. That requires clear positioning, authentic stories and consistent communications that build understanding and trust.
Insight
With high competition in close proximity, we needed to bolden the brand identity and messaging to be able to cut through the noise. Taking 3 core pillars (Innovate, Create, Engineer) from the UTC Leeds mission, we created a visual language out of geometric building blocks that represented each area. These are then expanded for patterns, framing devices and iconography, to create an exciting and coherent identity system.
Action
Admissions
The key strategy across our admissions campaign work was to focus on the future opportunities and career paths provided by UTC Leeds. With strong employer links and real world experience built into the curriculum offer, we made sure this resonated with both student and parent target groups.
Central to the approach has been authentic storytelling, bringing the UTC experience to life through the people who know it best – showcasing student journeys and destinations, employer partnerships, industry-led projects, STEM learning, open events and everyday college life.
Keeping Warm
A key challenge was the drop off between the points of initial application to September enrolment. As part of our communications strategy, keeping warm outreach helped maintain engagement & enthusiasm, while establishing and maintaining a strong relationship prior to joining the college.
Through reshaping how students received their accepted offer, ongoing mail communications and targeted engagement campaigns, prospective student and parent & carer audiences developed a sense of pride and belonging, creating authentic and organic engagement.
The partnership has helped UTC Leeds strengthen recruitment, build a more recognisable brand and engage students, families, employers and education partners through clear and consistent communication.
Oversubscribed student numbers in Y9 and Y12 across the past 2 years, with an increase of female applicants.
Growth demonstrated across all digital platforms: 61% follower increase across Meta channels and 174% increase across LinkedIn, with a 23.8% average engagement rate.
Increase in employer partnerships across the college.
Impact
“Working together has felt like a genuine partnership from day one. Their team has become an extension of the UTC Leeds family, rather than simply a company we work with. They take the time to visit us, immerse themselves in our environment and get to know our students, staff and culture, giving them a real understanding of what makes us such a unique specialist college in the city.
That personal approach shines through in everything we do together, from supporting our strategic vision to asking the right questions of our students and creating media content that captures the spirit of UTC Leeds.
What sets [Assembly] apart is how invested they are in our success. They don’t offer a one-size-fits-all service; instead, they tailor their work to our values, ambitions and community, ensuring everything they create feels genuinely reflective of who we are.”
Emma Robinson-Coe,
Vice Principal at UTC Leeds