Gloscol opens £5m construction training centre in Cheltenham

Gloucestershire College officially opened its new sustainable construction training centre at its Cheltenham Campus today. 

The new centre supports Gloucestershire’s growing cyber and infrastructure ambitions and its need for skilled construction workers. It is also the college's first opportunity for all its construction subjects to be taught at Cheltenham Campus.  

The centre expands the provision in Cheltenham’s Golden Valley, with additional training in electrical, plumbing and carpentry. These subjects are offered alongside courses in construction multiskills, property maintenance, groundworks, design, surveying and planning, and construction and the built environment.  

With sustainability now a key focus for the college, students will be taught sustainable approaches to construction through the curriculum, including smart technologies, renewable energy systems, eco-friendly construction techniques, waste reduction and water conservation, alongside sustainable design and environmental regulations.

Following on from the college’s ambitious GC Zero project, the new building uses air source heat pump technology for hot water and workshop heating systems, as well as efficient air conditioning systems to provide heat and cooling to classrooms. The building also benefits from new industry high levels of insulation, and electricity in the building comes from the campus solar generation and battery storage facilities.   

The building was constructed by Beard Construction, architects Roberts Limbrick, quantity surveyors Ward Williams Associates, structural engineers Simpson Associates and fire consultants Helios.  

The college was also supported in its bid for Department for Education (DfE) funding by Cheltenham Borough Council, which helped the college secure £4 million from the DfE. The college funded £1 million and the whole project totalled £5 million.  

The new construction training centre will play a pivotal role in addressing the increasing demand for skilled construction workers in the region, projected to reach 6,400 annually by 2025 and coinciding with the industry's shift towards net-zero carbon technologies in construction. 

Matthew Burgess, Principal and CEO of Gloucestershire College, said: "Even before the centre opened, we were the largest provider of construction training in the county by a country mile. It is the single largest occupational area in the college – and we cover a lot of areas. 

“As well as addressing skills needs, part of our mission is also social mobility. Cheltenham Campus is deliberately placed in an area of regeneration. Our learners can’t always travel so we want to create opportunities for them. 

"We’re proud of this facility and it’s for our community – the residents of Cheltenham, the Golden Valley, the businesses of Cheltenham and the whole county to benefit from.”