New Construction Centre launching in Cheltenham

Following the successful launch of its Engineering Centre in November, Gloucestershire College continues to lead the way in filling local skills gaps, with the launch of its new Construction Centre set to take place at Cheltenham Campus this Friday 8 January.

The Construction Centre is one of three new STEMBED centres the College has created using an £800k grant from GFirst LEP and £800k of its own investment, in order to support county growth industries including construction, engineering and computing, and benefit thousands of GC students and county schoolchildren.

According to the CITB’s 2015-2019 Construction Skills Network South West report, there are 6,320 construction jobs expected to be created in the South West every year for the next five years due to infrastructure investment and a 3.6% growth in the sector. This includes bricklayers, plasterers, labourers, construction process managers and professional and technical staff, and the College is committed to attracting, training and retaining this next generation.

Courses available at the new Cheltenham Construction Centre include Bench Joinery, Brickwork, Carpentry and Joinery, Construction, Painting and Decorating, Plastering and Plumbing – with more available at the nearby Gloucester and Forest of Dean campuses.

As well as industry-experienced lecturers, the College has close relationships with local employers so that it can tailor its courses to suit their needs and equip students with the skills, knowledge and experience they are looking for.

Mike Lawson, Head of School for Construction and Building Services, said: “Thanks to the new Construction Centre in Cheltenham, we are now able to train students in real working environments at all three of our main campuses, and fill the local skills shortage with qualified, experienced and motivated workers.

“With 200,000 new affordable houses being created in the South West, and a need for 10,000 bricklayers and 8,000 plasterers across the country, there has never been a better time to train for a career in construction – it’s a job for life with the chance to earn big money. 

“Students who started courses in the new Construction Centre in September are thriving in the new environment and we are aiming to increase our apprenticeship and full-time provision by 50% in 2016-17, offering young people across the county progression routes into apprenticeships or directly into jobs.” 

The official opening of the Cheltenham Construction Centre will take place alongside the launch of Apprentice 1000, the Local World campaign for which the College is the headline sponsor, which aims to place 1,000 new apprentices in the county in 12 months.

Representatives and apprentices from some of the leading local businesses, including Delphi, Messier Bugatti Dowty, Clarkson Evans and GE Aviation are all expected to attend the breakfast launch, which starts at 8.30am on Friday 8 January and will feature a flight simulator, a pledge board and the chance to meet construction students and apprentices.

For more information about Gloucestershire College’s Construction and Building Services courses visit www.gloscol.ac.uk/construction or call 0345 155 2020.