Doncaster Construction Skills Village is enrolling learners who are interested in starting a construction career.

The Construction Skills Village is a collaboration between Willmott Dixon, Northern Regeneration and Barnsley College. It provides local people with the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in order to address the skills shortage and close the gap between education and the construction industry.

Doncaster Construction Skills Village is located on a brand-new site on Middle Bank, Doncaster, and is attached to the XP East development being built by Willmott Dixon, the company behind the newly opened National College of High Speed Rail. As part of the brand-new site, Doncaster Construction Skills Village has had a makeover with new cabins and furniture supplied by Elliott Group Ltd and safety barriers supplied by Speedy Hire.

Students will work towards a Level 1 Diploma in Construction Skills on a live site and will develop their skills in a range of construction trades including brickwork, groundworks and joinery. Students will also gain practical skills in project planning, health and safety and cost/time management.

Students will undertake their qualification by completing hands-on projects guided by expert tutors on the Construction Skills Village site. On top of this, Willmott Dixon will support students with industry talks, site tours of the XP East development, work experience opportunities and introductions to their supply chain partners.

This will ensure that students gain theoretical knowledge together with the practical industry experience required to help prepare them for a career in construction; whilst also providing local and regional businesses with a stream of highly talented individuals.

Richard Stowell, Operations Manager at Willmott Dixon, said:

“Skills are the lifeblood of our industry and we are delighted to be involved with the Doncaster Construction Skills Village, which provides a fantastic opportunity to integrate our construction activities with the Barnsley College curriculum and provide an innovative learning opportunity for the students. This project offers Willmott Dixon the vehicle to deliver our commitment towards ‘enhancing the lives of young people’. It is initiatives such as this that provide a vital role in attracting young people into our industry, offering students site based learning and mentoring opportunities.”

Graham Ratcliffe, Managing Director at Northern Regeneration, added:

“We want to support local talent in taking their first steps into the construction industry. Doncaster Construction Skills Village not only provides ‘real life’ training, but also work placement and employment opportunities.”

Barnsley College Principal Chris Webb added:

“The Skills Village is an exciting and innovative approach bringing education and industry together for the benefit of our students. They will gain invaluable practical experience within the construction industry ensuring that they are ready for employment that at the end of their course.”

If you want to find out more about Doncaster Construction Skills Village contact the team on  07506745808.