Work has begun on a new skills centre to help City College Norwich train more young people for careers in construction.
Groundbreaking took place on Friday (May 3) at the college’s Ipswich Road campus where the £4.4m building is being constructed by MJS Projects.
Funding for the new building has come from the Department for Education’s Post-16 Capacity Fund, with the college investing around £400,000.
The two-storey building, designed by LSI Architects, will be next to the college’s existing bricklaying and carpentry and joinery workshops.
Flexibility has been designed into the new 1,200 sq m building to enable its adaption to varying industry demands.
Much of its capacity will be given over to electrical training due to the energy transition.
David Henry, director at MJS Projects, said:”The construction industry has a skills shortage. As a local company, MJS Projects is passionate about developing students’ understanding of the many varied careers the construction industry can offer.
“ In delivering this new Construction Skills facility for City College Norwich, we will take this fantastic opportunity to link our site activities, the role of the designers, and the wider project team to the students’ learning, enhancing their studies with real-life practical experience.”
Liv Bradley, head of construction at City College Norwich, said:”Seeing work start on the new skills centre is a really exciting milestone for construction training at City College Norwich.
“We have a comprehensive offer, from entry level multi-skills, to trade Diplomas, T Levels, Apprenticeships and Higher Apprenticeships, with our students benefitting from great support from employers in the construction sector in Norfolk.”
High demand is expected for the 2026/26 term when applications open on October 1. The new workshop is due for completion in December 2024.
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