Gloucestershire College has revealed plans to build a new construction training centre at its Gloucester campus, in a bid to help meet the growing demand for skilled workers across the county.
The college has secured £4.5 million in funding through the government's Post-16 Capacity Fund for the new centre, through which it aims to provide more opportunities for post-16 learners to access high-quality construction training.
The institution says the investment will 'transform' the current site at 125 Business Park, adjacent to its Gloucester Docks campus, into 'a state-of-the-art vocational training centre, providing learners with the technical, practical and green skills needed to progress into successful careers in the construction industry'.
It will provide specialist training in electrical, plumbing, wood trades, brickwork, plastering, and maintenance, and will better connect the business park with the wider campus, creating a more integrated learning environment.
While Gloucestershire's construction sector generates around £1 billion annually and supports around 33,000 jobs, the plans come amid a wider shortage of skilled labour, with an estimated 50,000 vacancies within the industry nationally, driven by an ageing workforce, reduced EU participation post-Brexit, and declining numbers of school leavers entering trade-based careers.
The Post-16 Capacity Fund exists to support education providers to expand or improve their facilities, creating additional capacity for young people to access education and training.
Andy Bates, chief financial officer at Gloucestershire College, said: 'At Gloucestershire College we are focused on tackling the key workforce and skills challenges our region faces.
'This funding will enable us to expand our trade-based offering at our Gloucester campus. This project will be key to addressing the increasing demand from people wanting to enter trade-based careers in Gloucestershire.
'Securing this funding is a significant milestone and brings us one step closer to turning our plans into reality, creating a state-of-the-art training centre that will equip learners with the skills needed to succeed in the construction industry.'
Reflecting its commitment to sustainability, the college hopes the new centre's green skills focus will help to prepare a workforce that can meet the evolving needs of the sector, while supporting the ambitions of the Gloucester Climate Change Strategy.
The college says the new training centre will open in 2028.
