Supporting the Next Generation: LMG and the UTC Digital Futures Programme
At Line Management Group LMG (lmgiq.com) , one of our key focuses is nurturing future talent and empowering young talent to take a clear, confident first step into the ever-evolving market for digital buildings.
That’s why, in October 2021, we partnered with the University Technical Colleges (UTCs) and the Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET) to support the launch of the Digital Futures Programme at UTC Heathrow .
This initiative offers 14–18-year-olds the opportunity to explore technical careers within a supportive environment, working with employers.
Our Journey So Far
What started at UTC Heathrow has now grown into regional effort, with the programme now active in three additional UTC's, UTC Reading , UTC Oxfordshire & UTC Swindon .
Digital Futures is a first-of-its-kind programme that equips students with the essential skills and industry knowledge to help them thrive in the fast and constantly evolving digital infrastructure and data centre (DC) sectors.
Our workshops and challenge days focus on the industry's realities, from designing data centres to tackling sustainability dilemmas.
The students collaborate, innovate, and pitch their ideas while developing their technical and professional skills, all with the help of industry experts and support.
Matt Gilbert, Engineering Manager at LMG said: “It’s nice to see from a diverse group of students and how each team had different focuses. One of the teams had its focus on their cost, other teams had focused on location and why. Others were looking at their core systems, and if you pulled all of them together, you’d be making the world’s most ideal data centre."
What We Deliver
Our commitment to the UTC partnership is robust and multi-faceted:
We’ve also had the privilege of seeing former UTC students join us as apprentices and watch them, through their hard work, bring about tangible change to the benefit of our company.
The Impact
The response from students has been phenomenal. At events like the Careers Fair at UTC Heathrow or challenge days at UTC Oxfordshire and UTC Swindon, we’ve seen such a difference in young minds as they creatively tackle real-world problems.
Notably, several all-female teams have won these challenges, paving the way for a fairer, more inclusive future within our industry.
There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing students who may face unique personal challenges transform over the course of a day’s challenge.
Watching their initial hesitation turn into focus and creativity, and to see their pride in their final models or solutions is an incredible testament to their resilience and potential, and also, very rewarding for our staff.
Mike Hook "I’m always impressed by the confidence and professional attitude of the UTC students’. ‘We met some great potential apprentices. It’s reinforced my belief that the UTC model of employer engagement is the future of UK education."
Looking Ahead: Our Upcoming Challenge Day
Looking ahead to 2025, LMG is pleased to announce plans for an upcoming challenge day.
With guidance from ALET and support from our Digital Futures Partners, the LMG Challenge Day will give the students opportunities to develop technical skills, collaborate in teams, and gain valuable insights into our industry.
This challenge will extend beyond data centres. We’re eager to see how they embrace new opportunities and bring their unique ideas to life when applying them to one of our recent projects.
We’re looking forward to continuing to support the Digital Futures partner initiatives, expanding student opportunities, and inspiring the next generation of talent.
“I’m happy that I’ve chosen a future-proof career; the jobs are limitless. I learnt many of the skills required for this role thanks to the various topics I studied in the Digital Futures Programme, which only enhanced my understanding of the sector.” Hassan Elbarbary , Engineering Apprentice at LMG and former UTC Heathrow student
At LMG, the Digital Futures Programme is more than an initiative—it’s our commitment to shaping and securing the future of the digital infrastructure industry.
Together with ALET and our Digital Futures Partners, we’re helping to build a pipeline of talent that will drive change and provide a valuable experience for future generations for years to come.
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