A construction Skills Village in Doncaster is hosting its first open event. Those who are interested in working in construction can come along on Thursday 26 January 10.00am to 1.00pm at the National College for High Speed Rail in Doncaster.
The Skills Village is a collaboration between Barnsley College, Willmott Dixon and Northern Regeneration and will provide 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.
Barnsley College is offering a new Introduction to Construction course based at the Skills Village where students will work on a ‘live’ site and gain first-hand experience of working on a construction build from design to finish whilst developing their skills in a range of trades including groundworks, painting and decorating, plastering, bricklaying, carpentry and joinery and plumbing. The site, which is next to the new National College for High Speed Rail, currently being built by Willmott Dixon, will contain training areas where students will work on a number of construction related activities. This will provide them with practical industry experience and provide local and regional businesses with a stream of highly talented individuals.
Visitors to the open event will have the opportunity to find out more about the Skills Village, talk to key people from Barnsley College, Willmott Dixon and Northern Regeneration, take a tour of the site and find out how the industry experience gained at the Skills Village will help to prepare them for a career in construction.
Barnsley College Principal Christopher Webb said: “The Skills Village is an exciting and innovative approach bringing education and industry together for the benefit of our students. As a college we are constantly looking at ways to ensure our students are equipped with the right skills for employment. The Open Event is an excellent opportunity for visitors to come along and find out how the Skills Village can help learners to gain invaluable practical experience within the construction industry and ensure that, at the end of their course, they are ready for employment.”
Graham Ratcliffe, Managing Director at Northern Regeneration, added: “Northern Regeneration are delighted to be working alongside Willmott Dixon and Barnsley College to support local talent in taking their first steps into the construction industry. The Doncaster Construction Skills Village will not only provide ‘real life’ training, but also work placement and employment opportunities. The Open Day is a fantastic event to attend for people looking to start their construction career.”
To book a place at the Open Event visit www.barnsley.ac.uk/skillsvillage For more information about the Skills Village call Barnsley College on 01226 216 123 or email info@barnsley.ac.uk.
Ends-
Photo: Examples of the type of activities students will undertake at the Skills Village
Barnsley College is rated outstanding by Ofsted and the latest Government figures show it is the most successful General Further Education College in its region. It has approximately 9,500 students studying on various programmes including Vocational, Part-time, Higher Education courses, A Levels and Apprenticeships. See www.barnsley.ac.uk for more information.
For more information please contact Priya Shirt on 01226 216 252 or email p.shirt@barnsley.ac.uk