College funding to tackle lack of skilled workers

A college has secured £4.5million to build a new construction training centre to help meet a "growing demand for skilled workers".

Gloucestershire College plans to turn land at the 125 Business Park in Gloucester into a state-of-the-art vocational training centre.

The new facility, which will open in 2028, will provide specialist training in electrical, plumbing, wood trades, brickwork, plastering and maintenance.

Hartpury College has also been awarded £4.6 million from The Post-16 Capacity Fund, a government capital investment programme that supports colleges and other education providers.

Figures from county council data unit Inform Gloucestershire show construction generates around £1billion annually for Gloucestershire's economy, supporting about 33,000 jobs.

However, it is estimated that nationally there are approximately 50,000 vacancies within the industry, due to a national shortage of skilled labour.

Architects for the project, Roberts Limbrick, said the situation was driven by an ageing workforce, reduced EU participation post-Brexit, and declining numbers of school leavers entering trade-based careers.

Andy Bates, chief financial officer at Gloucestershire College: "We are focused on tackling the key workforce and skills challenges our region faces.

"This funding will enable us to expand the trade-based offering at our Gloucester campus."

Hartpury College said it plans to use its new funding to expand or improve facilities, creating additional capacity for young people to access post-16 education and training.

"We are delighted to have secured this significant investment," college principal Claire Whitworth said.

"The funding will enable us to enhance our Animal Management and Science facilities, ensuring our students continue to benefit from high-quality, specialist learning environments that prepare them for their future careers.

"Developing the skills of the next generation is at the heart of what we do at Hartpury, and this investment will help us continue to provide the practical, industry-focused education that our students and employers value."

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