Gloucestershire College invests £80K in Cheltenham groundworks facilities
Gloucestershire College will invest £80,000 in a new groundworks workshop in Cheltenham as it looks to widen its portfolio of facilities and strengthen ties with Gloucestershire’s trade community.
Construction and trade apprentices will be able to use the new workshop to develop skills vital to the sector, including the use and maintenance of power tools and equipment, installing and testing basic drainage and ducting, building repairs, gauging and mixing mortars and concrete by both hand and mixer, and more.
Rachel Hall, Gloucestershire College’s apprenticeship manager, said: “As one of the key FE and apprenticeship training providers in Gloucestershire, every year we train hundreds of skilled tradesmen for local companies.
“While the majority of our Construction & Building Services apprenticeships and courses are delivered from Gloucester campus, we recognise the need to further expand our trade provision and facilities. We have listened to feedback from our employer partners as well as our learners about the need for high-quality EPA-compliant workshop in Cheltenham, and we are absolutely delighted that the plan is now going ahead.”
The facilities will also provide a space for end point assessments, where independent assessors can test the knowledge, behaviours and skills learnt during their apprenticeship. Three separate on-site bays will be available for delivery of skills and assessments, along with an area for storing and mixing materials along with a changing room and bathroom.
Work will begin on the project this month (August), with a predicted completion of December this year.
Mike Lawson, director of technology and engineering at Gloucestershire College, said: “Expanding our groundworks facilities in Cheltenham and making them EPA compliant is an important step to help our groundworks, property maintenance and bricklaying apprentices as well as multi-skills students to develop and practise the skills industry needs, successfully pass their assessment and gain industry recognised qualifications as the result”
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