Beard to Build Gloucestershire College sustainable construction centre

By Peter Davison

1 November 2023

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The Business Magazine article image for: Beard to Build Gloucestershire College sustainable construction centre

James Billingham, Gary Henderson, Karen Morris, Andy Bates, Alex Chalk MP, and Matthew Burgess

Swindon-based construction firm Beard has been appointed to build a £5 million training centre for Gloucestershire College.

The college said the new sustainable 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.

Principal Matthew Burgess said: "Our selection of Beard Construction is rooted in its exceptional reputation and demonstrated commitment to sustainable and high-quality builds.

"We sought a partner who shares our vision of preparing the talent of tomorrow for the evolving construction landscape. Beard’s proven expertise, coupled with its focus on minimising disruption and maximising collaboration, aligns with our objectives and we look forward to working with them over the coming year."

Jamie Harwood, director at Beard, added: “Gloucestershire College has an exciting vision to not only increase routes into the industry, but ensure new recruits are skilled to meet the challenges and opportunities of sustainability.

"These principles are key drivers for us at Beard and we are delighted to be working with the college as its chosen contractor.

“For more than 130 years, Beard has built an established reputation in the education sector, whether it’s in primary, secondary, SEND provision or further education. We will utilise this expertise to help Gloucestershire College deliver a cutting-edge teaching and learning space for construction.”

Supported by £70,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and £4 million from the Post 16 Capacity Fund, the 14,000 square-foot sustainable construction centre will facilitate training for 164 learners per week across various skills, with sustainability at the core.

The facility will feature 10 plumbing bays, 12 electrical bays, 20 bays for carpentry, along with four classrooms.

Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk recently visited the site to discuss plans and related opportunities for Cheltenham with key stakeholders.

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He said: "I was delighted to meet with Matthew Burgess to learn more about his vision for Gloucestershire College’s sustainable construction centre at its Cheltenham campus.

“This exciting new state-of-the-art construction skills centre – which the Government is investing £4 million in – means that for the first time ever, students and apprentices will be able to study construction here in Cheltenham.

"Not only will this help deliver the skilled workforce needed for Cheltenham's cyber vision, M5, J10 and Air Balloon projects, but it will also create exciting opportunities allowing young people of skill and determination to go as far as their talents can take them."

By Peter Davison

Peter Davison is deputy editor of The Business Magazine. He has spent his life in journalism – doing work experience in newsrooms in and around Bristol while still at school, and landing his first job on a local newspaper aged 19. By 28 he was the youngest newspaper editor in the country.

An early advocate of online news, he spent the first years of the 2000s telling his bosses that the internet posed both the biggest opportunity and greatest threat to the newspaper industry and the art of journalism. He was right on both counts.

Since 2006 he has enjoyed a career as a freelance journalist. He lives in rural Wiltshire with one wife, two children, and three cats.